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Conversation: 794-012

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Start Date: 9-Oct-1972 12:46 PM

End Date: 9-Oct-1972 3:10 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Newhouse, Samuel I.Klein, Herbert G.Bull, Stephen B.Dean, John W., III

Recording Device: Oval Office

794-012a.mp3

794-012b.mp3

NARA Description:

On October 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Samuel I. Newhouse, Herbert G. Klein, Stephen B. Bull, and John W. Dean, III met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 pm and 3:10 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 794-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 794-12

Date: October 9, 1972
Time: unknown after 3:10 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Samuel I. Newhouse and Herbert G. Klein; the meeting began in
progress.

        [Photograph session]
            -The President’s previous meeting with Newhouse
                -1960

        Newhouse Newspapers
           -List
                -Klein
           -Mississippi
                -Pascagoula
                     -Mississippi Press Register
           -Mobile, Alabama
           -New Orleans
           -Coverage
                -Mississippi, Alabama, New Jersey, New York
                -Portland, Oregon
                -St. Louis, Missouri
                                     34
              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                             Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. Nov-03)

        -Springfield, Massachusetts
            -The President’s visit as Congressman

Refreshment

Newhouse Newspapers
   -Newark, New Jersey
       -Newark Star-Ledger
             -Previous prosperity
                 -Unions
       -Newark News
             -Effect of endorsement on state
   -Cleveland Plain Dealer
       -Thomas Vail
             -Property
       -Circulation numbers
             -Compared to Cleveland Press
   -California
       -Los Angeles Chronicle
             -Family ownership
             -Los Angeles Examiner
             -Newhouse’s attempt to buy
                 -Dennis McElroy
                      -Marriage
                 -Television
       -San Diego
       -Los Angeles
       -San Jose
             -Ridder Publications
       -Sacramento Union
             -John Copley
   -Stock ownership
   -Copley’s health
   -Gift for Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
       -Mitzi (Epstein) Newhouse
             -Vogue interview
       -Vogue, House and Garden
             -Newhouse ownership
             -Mitzi Newhouse
                 -Possible letter from Mrs. Nixon
                                               35
                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                     -Mrs. Nixon’s location
                         -New York
                         -Chicago
                         -Columbus Day


*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 40s        ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

*****************************************************************


        Newspapers ownership
           -Department of Justice
           -Stock ownership
               -New York Stock Exchange
               -Potential problems with bureaucracy
                    -Group ownership
                    -Los Angeles Times, William Randolph Hearst

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:10 pm.

        Schedule
            -John E. Ehrlichman
            -John W. Dean, III
                -Position
                -Hair length

Bull left at an unknown time before 3:23 pm.

        Television-newspaper ownership
            -Public interest groups
                 -Possible attacks on Newhouse
                     -Klein
                                              36
                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                     -The President’s view
                -New York Daily News
                     -WPIX
                          -Jack Quinn
                     -Chicago Tribune
            -Anti-business establishment
                -The President’s view
            -Anti-trust enforcement
                -US competitiveness
                -Europe
                -Soviet Union
                -John B. Connally
                     -Interest in subject
                          -The President’s interest

Dean entered at 3:23 pm.

        Introduction
             -Dean’s background
                 -Department of Justice

        Philosophy toward television-newspaper ownership
            -Newhouse Newspapers and stock ownership
                -Copley
                -Vogue
                -Congress
                -Department of Justice
                -Federal Communications Commission [FCC]
                -Administration standard
                -Anti-trust justifications
                     -Ecology, equal rights
                         -Money
                     -Counter advertisement
                     -Serving the public interest and objections
                     -Buffalo
                         -Syracuse
                              -Possible changes
                                    -Newhouse’s desire to remain in newspapers, magazines
                -Lawsuit
                     -Arthur Goldberg
                                               37
                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                          -Abner J. Mikva
                 -Possible case
                     -Department of Justice anti-trust division
                          -Thomas Kauper
                              -Big business
                     -White House
                          -Dean
                     -Bureaucracy
                          -Control
                          -Department of Justice anti-trust division
                              -Attitude toward business
                              -Compared with the attitude in the White House
                                   -Running of newspapers
                                       -Editorial policy
                                       -Newspaper Guild, Unions
                                            -Washington Daily News
                                            -New York
                                                -Number of papers
                                            -Portland, Oregon
                                   -Editors and publishers
                                       -Vail
                                   -Franchises
                                       -Harlan Sanders [Kentucky Fried Chicken]

        1972 campaign
            -Klein’s recent meeting with Newhouse in New York
            -Blacks
            -Number of newspapers in Alabama
            -John J. Sparkman
                 -Winton M. (“Red”) Blount
                      -Cleveland Plain Dealer
                      -Oregonian, Oregan Journal
                      -St. Louis Globe-Democrat [?]
            -Bill Nickels
                 -St. Louis

        Presidential gift giving
            -Letter from Mrs. Nixon

Bull entered, left, and reentered at an unknown time before 3:34 pm.
                                               38
                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Nov-03)


             -Cuff links
                  -Presidential seal
             -Pin
                  -Presidential seal
                  -Mrs. Newhouse

Newhouse, Klein, and Dean left at 3:34 pm.