I Smell Something, and It is Not the Kampongs

The Silicon Hutong Suite
Royal Orchid Sheraton Bangkok
0915 hrs local

So, interesting news yesterday and today about His Global Diggerness Rupert Murdoch chatting with his old buddies at Phoenix about maybe, just maybe, dumping his shareholdings.

And then another interesting piece about Edward Tian possibly leaving China Netcom.

Okay, I know we’re still in rumor phase here, but let’s do some addition:

1. In September, Rupert tells an assembled crowd of industry people in New York that he’s hit a wall in China, following SARFT’s issuance of a series of circulars last summer that basically reminded all and sundry foreigners that they can’t do business in China the way they want to.

2. Not long later, in an unrelated move, Rupert signals his growing appreciation for things Online when he turns up the highest bidder for MySpace.com, a Web 2.0 play that is generating tons of buzz if not profits.

3. Rupert starts talking about dumping his major TV play in China, Phoenix.

4. The Edward Tian-leaving-Netcom Rumor Story on CNBC mentions Rupert’s name prominently as the financier of Tian’s new venture.

Is all of this starting to add up to a tectonic strategy shift for News Corp in China?

Stay tuned…