Samurai with American background. Why FT sold to the Japanese

Reuters / soe zeya tun

The Japanese media giant Nikkei acquired from PEARSON PLC. Almost all business Financial Times, the largest business magazines in Europe, for £ 844 million (approximately $ 1.3 billion).

The deal, about which the market spoke for some time (though, as a possible buyer, a completely different media contract was discussed, the German Axel Springer - the Japanese entered into negotiations only five weeks ago), is of serious importance for the entire industry. Financial Times - a unique media business; For almost 130 years of its existence, FT from the “simple” newspaper of the London business district City has turned into a complex conglomerate of information projects that ensure business and political information almost the whole world. FT includes several magazines, several information portals, several service units; Since the mid-1990s, the newspaper (more precisely, its publisher PEARSON) belonged to half of Economist, the main analytical weekly British business world. PEARSON PLC., Publishing and educational group, became the owner of FT in 1957; First, the acquisition of part of the shares of the newspaper, and then full control over it, provided the publisher, on the one hand, a very high reputation, but, on the other hand, it put a very rather big business (about six times more FT) depending on its very “weighty asset”.

The value of FT in the world of business and policy cannot be overestimated. This is not only the most authoritative newspaper of the Old World, but also the “decision -making method”, as Rupert Murdok described the role of Financial Times (owns The Wall Street Journal). The data and opinions of the newspaper often reproduce intelligence and the Foreign Ministry; Analysts of the newspaper are no less authoritative than members of the Board of Management Central Banks. This special place is deserved by many years of following the principles that even Winston Churchill did not dare to violate - the Financial Times was the only British newspaper in which military censorship was voluntary during the Second World War: the authors could bring their notes (from patriotism), but could not bring them more important for the united romance than for interests than for interests than for the interests of military).

This is not only the most authoritative newspaper of the Old World, but also the "decision -making method"

FT is not only a model of editorial independence, which are equal to those who can afford it throughout the world. This is also a model of media influence, the analyst of which can overthrow the government and destroy the reputation of powerful CEOs. If FT as an institute was not a “splinter in the ass” of the European elite (especially the British), the newspaper would have long been declared a cultural monument in Britain along with Stonehenju and the Abbey of Glastonberi. Even if this was not done - this happened in the audience’s mind for a long time, FT’s authority is unquestioned for the British (even if he never opened the pages of a newspaper printed on the legendary “salmon paper”).

Nikkei headquarters in Tokyo

Getty images / Christopher Jue

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