DOJ Probing WSJ Over Alleged Fortune-Sharing with Chinese Officials

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The New York Observer is reporting that the U.S. Dept. of Justice is investigating a whistleblower's allegations that Chinese government officials received gifts from the News Corp.-owned Wall St. Journal in exchange for information used in articles in Rupert Murdoch's national business daily.

An inquiry by outside attorneys and auditors commissioned by News Corp. dismissed the allegations as baseless, the media conglomerate said in a written statement. The company questioned whether the alleged whistleblower might be a Chinese government agent retaliating against the WSJ for its coverage, and noted how the recent hacking of The New York Times and other news media outlets was suspected to be the work of  Chinese government agents as a reprisal against negative reporting.

Could be the Chinese government propaganda machine trying to sully and intimidate the foreign press into writing non-critical stories about the regime.  On the other hand, given Murdoch's phone hacking scandal in the U.K,, it may be hard to find a horse to root for in this race.

Village Voice Ousts Long-time Senior Film Critic

Image via WikipediaThe Village Voice's senior film critic since 1988, (James Lewis) J. Hoberman, has been cut loose by publication owner Village Voice Media, according to reports on the New York Observer and Capitalnewyork.com Web sites.

Hoberman, 63, co-author of Midnight Movies (1983), was quoted as being "shocked, but not surprised" by his ouster. A Voice staffer dating back to 1983, Hoberman was a vocal union shop steward during staff labor negotiations with Village Voice Media last summer, when a strike was narrowly averted.

Hoberman joins a growing list of veteran Voicers who have departed the weekly in recent years, including Tom Robbins and Nat Hentoff, though the latter still is a contributor.

The Times It Is A'Changin...

Image via CrunchBaseThe "Grey Lady" New York Times  is getting rid of some of its grey-haired journalists, according to the New York Observer.

Accepting voluntary buyout packages this past weekend are a number of long-time Timesers whose bylines are well-recognized by readers. Included among the very dearly departed scribes are George Vecsey, a 30-year veteran whose Sports of the Times Saturday column was widely read; 34-year Times veteran Metro columnist Clyde Haberman, 20-year veteran Sam Dillon,  National Education correspondent; and Nicholas Wade, a 29-year Times veteran Science reporter/editor.