Newspaper Guild Worried About Possibility of ‘Harsh Right-Wing Positions’ Influencing Tribune Coverage

Today, The Newspaper Guild & Communications Workers of America, issued a statement which began as follows: “Recently you’ve seen many petitions asking that Warren Buffett and his executives not be allowed to buy the Tribune Company’s newspapers. We understand why Buffett’s group breeds this distrust. They are active political proponents of harsh left-wing positions. We’re also not certain that Tribune will listen to anything but money when the final decision is made.”

Of course, I’m kidding. The press release at the Guild/CWA, which we should never forget outspokenly supported, endorsed and for a time actively participated in the crime-infested, disgusting, violent Occupy movement during 2011 and early 2012, was about the eeeevil Koch brothers’ apparent interest in purchasing the Tribune’s group of publications (HT Jim Romenesko via Hot Air headlines):

The Newspaper Guild & Communications Workers of America Call on
Tribune Company to Protect Newspapers’ Integrity as Sale Proceeds

Recently you’ve seen many petitions asking that the Koch brothers not be allowed to buy the Tribune Company’s newspapers. We understand why the Kochs breed this distrust. They are active political proponents of harsh right-wing positions. We’re also not certain that Tribune will listen to anything but money when the final decision is made.

What we do know is that great papers publish credible, trusted journalism online and on the printed page. Whoever comes to own these mastheads needs to understand that protecting newsrooms from ideological taint is no small thing. The future of American journalism depends on the ability to print truth, not opinion.

We call on Tribune to make a pledge that they’ll only sell to a buyer that will protect the objectivity of the news product by making a public commitment to doing so. The Newspaper Guild-CWA and the Communications Workers of America seek your support in this goal.

There are reports that about half of the staff at the Los Angeles Times, one of the Tribune’s properties, have said they will quit rather than work for the paper if the Koch brothers achieve ownership. I would characterize that as a feature, not a bug, on two levels. First, it would automatically generate much of the cost savings needed to make the paper profitable. Second, the brothers could hire journalists who are truly free of “ideological taint” instead of the current bunch which obviously only pretends to be.

Cross-posted at NewsBusters.org.