WSJ Europe Faces New Scrutiny – WSJ.com

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Dow Jones & Co. Wednesday faced fresh scrutiny over an alleged deal to boost the reported circulation numbers of The Wall Street Journal Europe, in which the paper sold bulk copies to a consulting firm and simultaneously directed money to the firm for separate services.

People familiar with the matter say that, for two years, a small Dutch firm called Executive Learning Partnership bought 12,000 copies of The Wall Street Journal Europe each day for just one European cent apiece—helping the paper maintain an audited circulation of about 75,000 at a time when newspaper circulation is dropping industry-wide.

Dow Jones, which publishes all editions of The Wall Street Journal, is owned by News Corp.

On Tuesday, Andrew Langhoff —managing director of Dow Jones in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and publisher of The Wall Street Journal Europe—stepped down after an internal probe showed he had pushed for publication of two articles that favorably featured ELP.

The articles were prompted by a bulk-distribution deal struck by the circulation department. That arrangement wasn’t disclosed to readers. Dow Jones now says that gave the appearance the paper’s editorial integrity had been breached.

via WSJ Europe Faces New Scrutiny – WSJ.com.

Strange Random Newspaper Quote:

“I think a newspaper should be provocative, stir ’em up, but you can’t do that on television. It’s just not on.” – Rupert Murdoch

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