The New York Times
Rupert Murdoch says News Corporation will resume its truce with General Electric–if MSNBC stops slinging mud at Mr. Murdochs Fox News Channel.
This contest needs a referee, stat.
The two media companies reached a fragile pact to halt personal attacks between the two cable news channels earlier this year. Executives at both companies were said to be fed up with the vicious sniping between Keith Olbermann and Bill OReilly, the 8 p.m. hosts on MSNBC and Fox. The feud between those two men sparked a broader rivalry between the top-rated Fox News and the lower-rated MSNBC.
After The New York Times reported on the attempts to ease tensions in August, the sniping resumed, but some executives at the companies are still seeking to keep the invective at a minimum.
Asked about the feud on a conference call Wednesday, Mr. Murdoch pointed a finger at MSNBC, saying “we did not start this abuse.” More…