Thomson Confirms Merger Deal

(NEWSER) - Reuters and Thomson have settled on the terms of the $17.24 billion merger announced last week, sounding the starting bell for a longer-than-usual regulatory review, the Journal reports. Reuters head Tom Glocer will become CEO of the new Thomson-Reuters, which combines the second- and third-largest providers of financial data and raises antitrust concerns. More»

(NEWSER) - Reuters is being wooed by a buyer, though the British information service is steadfastly mum on its suitor's identity. The WSJ predicts one of two outcomes: an intra-industry move from Canadian publishing powerhouse Thomson, or a swoop in by private equity, aimed at profiting off the company's steady cash flow. More»

Mogul won't raise offer to push stalling Bancroft family

(NEWSER) - Rupert Murdoch won't raise his $5B bid for Dow Jones, the media mogul said today. Murdoch deflected speculation that he would up the ante to move along negotiations with the openly skeptical Bancroft family, which owns a majority stake in the Journal publisher. Instead, Reuters reports, Murdoch is suggesting he could balk if the Bancrofts dither. More»

As big-time deals struggle to manage debt, beware the Trojan piggy bank

(NEWSER) - The red-hot market for LBOs may be hitting a long-awaited rough patch. Several big deals—including Apollo's $1.3 billion Linens 'n Things buy and the multigroup $17.6 billion acquisition of Freescale Semiconductor Holdings—have turned sour, with the companies struggling to generate enough cash to pay down debt after soft quarters. More»

Jousting over editorial independence may derail Dow Jones deal

(NEWSER) - Rupert Murdoch has renewed his vow to maintain the Wall Street Journal's editorial independence should his bid for Dow Jones succeed, but it's unlikely he'll allow the controlling Bancroft family to run an editorial oversight board. That sticking point could be a deal-breaker, the Journal reported hours before today's scheduled meeting between the parties. More»