From Murdoch’s new Wall Street Journal comes this gem sourced purely from anonymous sources, Hurd Deal Inflamed Board. The very first paragraph begins “according to a person familiar with the board’s thinking.” And then it happens over and over. Lets break it down paragraph-by-paragraph:
P1: according to a person familiar with the board’s thinking.
P2: this person said.
people familiar with the matter said.
P3: said the person familiar with the board’s thinking.
P4: an account given by someone familiar with Mr. Hurd’s thinking. This person stated
P5: this person said, adding
P6: The person familiar with the board’s thinking said
P7: According to the person familiar with the board’s thinking,
P8: A person close to Mr. Hurd said
P9: a different person familiar with the matter said
P10-13: [none, but paragraph 14 makes up for it]
P14: said a person close to it
this person said.
Someone familiar with Mr. Hurd’s thinking said
P15-16: none
P17: someone familiar with the matter said
a different person says.
P18: people familiar with the matter say
P19-20: none
P21: said a a person familiar with the matter
P21: this person added
P22: said a person familiar with the matter
another person added.
P23: according to a person familiar with the matter
said a person close to the situation
A person close to Mr. Hurd said
P24: none
P25: a person familiar with the situation said
P26: said the person familiar with the board’s thinking.
P27: the person said
P28: none.
P29: this person said
P30: none
And the award goes to…
By BEN WORTHEN And JOANN S. LUBLIN
—Alexandra Berzon, Don Clark and James Oberman contributed to this article.