The Wall Street Journal gets cooperation from Washington Post CEO Donald Graham and Facebook Mark Zuckerberg for a story on their relationship. The article portrays it as mutually beneficial. It's certainly a newsworthy topic, and I read every word of the piece. But there are some questions that go unasked or unanswered. From the Journal:
At their first meeting at the Post offices, Mr. Zuckerberg explained his then-dorm room business and Mr. Graham recalled having "a very strong reaction."
He immediately tried to invest. "It was the only time in my life that I thought to make a venture investment," said Mr. Graham.
Although the investment in Facebook didn't work out in the end (another party offered Mr. Zuckerberg more money), the two bonded over the future of their businesses.
The article doesn't say whether this prospective investment was by Mr. Graham personally or by the Washington Post Company.
The article also doesn't say anything about Mr. Graham's compensation, if any, for serving as a Facebook director since the beginning of 2009. Did he get paid in Facebook stock? How much is that now worth? Does it go to him personally, or to the Washington Post Company? Washington Post company stock has been pretty much flat over that period.
