Stop the Barron's Microsoft Series

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My Lord, do some articles make The Business Press Maven's soul feel like it's been sitting on a hardback chair for hours.

But first, a word about Rupert.

There is endless speculation today about what Rupert Murdoch might or might not do to Dow(n) Jones (DJ Quote) and its properties. I would actually be happy with one modest but needed change. It might not make News Corp. (NWS Quote) any money, but at least it will save unsuspecting investors some.

So, Rupert, please stop Eric J. Savitz from publishing any more major bull calls on Microsoft (MSFT Quote) in Barron's without at least making clear to investors how wrong he's been on these articles he's been rewriting for Barron's for so long.

Savitz, dutiful stenographer, was most recently seen taking dictation from Microsoft at its annual financial analysts' meeting about how it is indeed still a growth stock: "I have a question, Mr. Ballmer. How do you spell growth? And are you free later to edit my story?" I kid, of course. Sort of. Whatever the case, a business journalist swallowing a company line hook, line and sinker is so common that it's hardly worth a mention.

But when The Business Press Maven read Savitz's "Yes, Microsoft Is a Growth Company," dated July 30, 2007, I came down with a bad case of déjà boo (that's like déjà vu, only scarier). Anyhow, I let my fingers do the walking and, sure enough, pulled up this remarkably similar table-pounder by Savitz in Barron's called (you guessed it) "Sweet Future: Why Microsoft is still a GROWTH STOCK" (emphasis mine).