Compare and contrast these two headlines on octogenarian NewsCorp chief Rupert Murdoch’s testimony yesterday in front of panel investigating press ethics at his and other British papers:

Murdoch, Center Stage, Plays Powerless Broker

vs.

Murdoch Bats Away ‘Myths’

To their credit, the Journal reporters (article number two) take a fairly dry, factual approach to the testimony. It’s the Journal’s headline-writing editors who deserve credit for the up-sucking presentation of their boss. By contrast, the great John Burns (cf. Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan) delivers a more opinionated treatment in his piece for the New York Times (article number one), saying Murdoch presented himself as “…a balding, bespectacled Mr. Magoo lookalike.”

They report, you decide.