Dow Jones staff mark Murdoch cartoon to air takeover views
by Jeffrey Blyth
Press Gazette
July, 27 2007
The latest twist to the Rupert Murdoch-Wall Street Journal saga is the life-size cartoon of the News Corp chairman hanging outside the New York headquarters of Dow Jones.
Passers-by are invited to voice their opinion of the projected take-over. There are even magic-markers available “” red for Dow Jones employees, green for everyone else.
The cartoon is the work of artist Geoffrey Raymond, who likes to compare himself to Jackson Pollock. When Raymond arrived on the scene with his giant poster security guards at first were unsure what to do, but finally let him to prop up his portrait of Murdoch.on the wall outside the building.
He said he created the cartoon because of his own anxiety about the potential take-over of the Dow Jones, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal.
Within a few hours at least 30 passers-by had expressed their opinion.
“Keep the Wall Street Journal out of this scumbag”™s hands” one wrote.
“We want truth, liberty and the American way,” penned someone who works for the Journal.
One obviously apathetic passerby scrawled “I don”™t care.”
Someone else wrote “news is sacred” in red ink right alongside one of Murdoch”™s cheeks.
The artist, who kept watch on his work from the sidelines, said many Dow Jones employees had looked at his painting but only about five actually accepted the invitation to write anything on it. One employee, he said, started writing – but stopped when he saw an editor approaching.
The artist hopes to keep watch on his work each day for a week, weather permitting.
Then he plans to put it up for sale on eBay. His asking price? A minimum of $3,500.
via Media Channel
image: Media Wire Daily