Murdoch Kowtows to China

Rupert Murdoch's imperial ambitions in China have been marked by relentless cozying to its communist regime—motivated by equal parts opportunism and sinophilia—the Times reports. Murdoch's China outlets have toed the party line energetically, and the mogul, whose wife is a high-powered mainlander, has even personally lashed the Dalai Lama.

That amplifies concerns about Murdoch's Dow Jones bid: Journal reporters say the Aussie, hardly famous for fair and balanced reporting, could stymie critical pieces on China. Meanwhile, Murdoch hasn't found unmitigated hapiness in his second home in Beijing: Regulatory obstacles and mismanagement have thwarted several of his ventures there. (More Rupert Murdoch stories.)