A great deal of ink has been given to Rupert Murdoch's now apparently successful bid for Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal. Part of this is because the news media love to cover ... the news media.

However, we are also talking about one of the best newspapers in the country and, importantly, a place that's always been a dream for aspiring writers in small and midsized newsrooms everywhere.

The New York Times may be the paper of record, but the Journal has always attracted those who see themselves as writers. Its great creativity and willingness to take risks with its page one stories -- particularly those in the center column -- gave heart to hardworking scribes everywhere.