Exiting Journal Editor Was Stuck Between Rupe and 'DNA'

Continuing to report on the aftershocks of its own takeover, the Wall Street Journal does a postmortem on the departure of top editor Marcus Brauchli, detailing his uncomfortable position between a demanding new owner and the paper's institutional “DNA.” Rupert Murdoch wanted to build a direct competitor to the New York Times, with more general news and shorter stories, and felt the managing editor was holding up the overhaul.

Brauchli was told by the Journal’s new publisher and Dow Jones’ new CEO—both veteran News Corp. hands—that the paper would be better served by a Murdoch insider. Because he resigned, rather than being fired, his case didn’t go through the committee created in last year's acquisition to protect the paper's editorial independence. The piece warns that the latest turn of the revolving door "likely heralds a more dramatic shake-up.” (More Rupert Murdoch stories.)