The New York Times-Google

RealClearMarkets

The company that has the most to gain from buying the New York Times is Google, says John Ellis. "If it proffered a Murdoch-like, no-auction bid of $4 billion, wouldn't the Sulzberger family have to accept it? Every single class B shareholder would accept the offer. It's their only exit. It is also likely that Times employees and retirees would enthusiastically support the deal; it's their only exit as well."

Kinda reminds me of AOL buying Time-Warner during the first internet bubble. I am pondering whether Google's motto of "Do No Harm" means they should or would not tender an offer. For some insight into how the folks at Google think it's worth reading Ken Auletta's recent piece in the New Yorker -- in short: they try and approach every issue and problem as engineers. Which begs the question: How would an engineer approach the newspaper business in general and the New York Times in particular. That's a question worth considering......