Murdoch now after 145;vulnerable146; NYT

Murdoch said during an earnings conference call last week that he wanted the financial newspaper to have 8220;more coverage of national, international and nonbusiness news 8230; all to better compete with The New York Times and other national newspapers.8221; In private, Murdoch has been more blunt.

8220;Rupert thinks the Times is vulnerable,8221; a longtime senior executive said. 8220;He8217;s going to go after them.8221;

Like other newspapers, the Times has been tightening its belt and has seen its stock price languish as readers and advertisers migrate to the Web. Nonetheless, it has fared better than other publications, retaining much of its circulation and advertising by remaining the essential newspaper of the East Coast elite.

So where does Murdoch believe the Times is vulnerable? At a meeting last week, News Corp. executives mulled over that question but have yet to form a definitive plan.

Murdoch has publicly signaled he will beef up editorial coverage, adding four pages to the paper and hiring more staff in Europe and Asia. Murdoch also is thinking about expanding the Journal8217;s franchise on global financial news.