Rupert Murdoch may be trying to act like the winner in the Newsday sweepstakes, but he doesn't seem to be at the finish line yet. The New York Times is reporting that Mort Zuckerman, the real estate magnate who owns the New York Daily News, is preparing a counter to Murdoch's reported $580 million bid for Newsday. And the paper says that the owners of the New York Observer are planning to meet with the Dolans of Cablevision to talk about a joint bid.
Speaking of the Observer, John Koblin has a fascinating look at Murdoch and his current media interests/obsessions. It's mostly about his moves at the Wall Street Journal and setting his sights on the New York Times, but at the end (near the end of page 4 for those counting) there's a discussion of the Newsday situation.
--Noel Rubinton