'Herald' Criticizes Times Co. Red Sox Bid

By: J.J. McGrath Count the Boston Herald among those giving a Bronx cheer to the bid made Thursday by the New York Times Co. -- parent of the Herald's archrival, The Boston Globe -- to become a minority owner of the Boston Red Sox.

Although common ownership of a Major League Baseball team and a media outlet in the same market is as American as cherry pie -- see, for example, the Tribune Co. and the Chicago Cubs -- Herald Managing Editor for News Andrew Gully told E&P, among other things, that should the Times Co. group succeed in its bid, it would lead to a greater concentration of media ownership around Boston, since the deal includes a stake in the New England Sports Network.

As one would expect in a competitive market such as Boston, the Herald ran a story last week that alerted its readers to any "real and perceived conflict-of-interest issues" related to the Times Co. bid.

It may take weeks for the winning bid to be determined, according to The Associated Press.