Media Watch

Geffen is "seriously interested" in buying the Times - NYT

Is Geffen a source close to Geffen?

Despite falling short in two recent attempts to become a major player in The New York Times Company, David Geffen continues to be seriously interested in buying a sizable piece of the company or taking it over completely, according to people who are very familiar with his thinking, though he is wary of doing anything to antagonize the controlling Sulzberger family... NY Times.

Yesterday the New York Post ran a pretty emphatic item reporting that entertainment mogul David Geffen is not interested in buying the New York Times or a share thereof. The Post's Peter Lauria called the Geffen bubble a "myth," citing "three sources with direct knowledge of the situation."

Today the Times itself comes back with a story claiming that Geffen is "seriously interested" in buying the Times, either in whole or in part. Reporters Richard Pérez-Peña and Michael Cieply one-up the Post, attributing their reporting to "people who are very familiar with his [Geffen's] thinking."

Far from being a throwaway, it's likely that the word "very" was the subject of extensive negotiations between the Times and, uh, one of its sources. Very interesting, I'd say. MediaNation.