新闻集团和道琼斯的谈判代表周一下午举行了会谈，在这次可能是最后一轮谈判的会谈中，双方就新闻集团4月中提出的收购提议达成了原则性协议。道琼斯方面的代表包括首席执行长理查德·赞尼诺、公司顾问和两名独立董事。新闻集团董事长鲁珀特·默多克顶住了来自道琼斯方面的压力，维持了先前提出的每股60美元的收购报价。这一报价相对于消息公布前道琼斯公司的股价有67%的溢价。

Rupert Murdoch reportedly moved a major step closer to achieving his long-standing aim of acquiring The Wall Street Journal when Dow Jones & Company tentatively agreed to be acquired by Mr. Murdoch’s News Corporation yesterday.

But the deal still must win the approval of the Bancroft family, which controls a majority of the company’s voting stock and has balked so far at selling to Mr. Murdoch, with some family members instead searching for another buyer.

According to a report on The Journal’s Web site, representatives of Dow Jones accepted Mr. Murdoch’s $60-a-share bid, which values the company at $5 billion. The News Corporation and Dow Jones declined to comment.

The agreement was expected to be put to the board tonight, and would cap a three-month effort by Mr. Murdoch to add Dow Jones to his global media empire.

The Bancrofts have shown great ambivalence throughout the process. They initially rejected Mr. Murdoch’s offer, then weeks later agreed to hear from News Corporation and any other potential bidders.

The reported deal may put pressure on the family to come to a resolution, because it suggests that management and the board believe that the offer should be accepted and, by implication, that it is a better option than going it alone.