Murdoch and Regan, Best Friends 4-Ever

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation "thanks Ms. Regan for her outstanding contributions and wishes her continued success" in a sparsely worded press release issued last week (below). The multinational publishing, newspaper, TV, and film conglomerate was referring to controversial editor and publisher Judith Regan, who ran News Corp.'s ReganBooks until December 2006. Ten days before Christmas that year, Regan was canned in a brouhaha related to Murdoch's last-minute decision to pulp O.J. Simpson's "hypothetical" murder confession, If I Did It. Judging the venture "ill-considered," Murdoch also canceled Fox's planned airing of Regan's already-taped Simpson interview, which Fox had begun promoting (and which, unlike the canceled book, has never since surfaced elsewhere). Regan sued the corporation and its publishing division HarperCollins for $100 million (excerpts on Pages 2-6), charging defamation and wrongful termination. Now the plaintiff and defendants have settled out of court and "are pleased that they have reached an equitable, confidential settlement, with no admission of liability by any party."

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In the original legal complaint, Regan sounded much like one of the successful titles she is known for. The plaintiff described herself as a "hard-working, dedicated single mother who supported herself from the age of 14, worked her way through school" and "against all odds" built ReganBooks into "one of the most successful, diverse, provocative and colorful imprints in history" (Page 4). Regan claimed that the company trashed her reputation, casting her "as an unethical businesswoman devoid of any integrity" (Page 2), and confiscated her "computer, mail, records, diaries, correspondence, and Rolodex," which "took 35 years to build" (Page 6).

The confidential settlement must have included returning these items, because all is forgiven. The settlement's dollar amount is not known, but the Wall Street Journal (itself now a division of NewsCorp.) reported that Regan previously turned down a settlement offer in excess of $6 million. Regan says she is "grateful for the opportunity to have worked with so many gifted people" and that she's "looking forward" to her next venture. Simpson, meanwhile, goes to trial in Las Vegas on April 7 on charges of felony kidnapping and armed robbery in connection with his seizure of O.J. collectables from two memorabilia dealers.

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