Singapore sues another Dow Jones Publication

Singapore is suing the Dow Jones Publishing Company and the Wall Street Journal Asia.

The case by itself is boring; the most pertinent detail is probably where the case is going to be heard, in Singapore or elsewhere.

What I find more interesting is that this is the first time a Dow Jones publication is being sued by Singapore since its acquisition by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp last year. [FEER doesn’t count, since the Singapore suit against it was initiated in 2006.]

Murdoch is notorious for editorializing the media properties he owns to reflect his own political views, which have been characterized as being strongly conservative. Above all, he’s a shrewd, profit-driven entrepreneur.

While he had assured the former controllers of the Dow Jones Publishing Company, the Bancroft family, that he would maintain and preserve the journalistic independence and integrity of the Dow Jones publications, many commentators at the time of the acquisition had expressed doubt and disquiet.

I’d certainly like to listen in on the conversation between Murdoch and the editor at the Wall Street Journal Asia post this suit from Singapore. Now that’s interesting news.