Ban Appoints Ex-ICTR's Dieng As Special Advisor

The Thomson Corporation management were struggling to run the business due to the 1979 Energy Crisis and union demands. Management were left with no choice nevertheless to save both titles by finding a buyer who was in a position to guarantee the survival of both titles, and as well one who had the resources and was committed to funding the introduction of modern printing methods.

After 14 years as editor, William Rees-Mogg resigned the post upon the completion of the change of ownership. Murdoch began to make his mark on the paper by appointing Harold Evans as his replacement. One of his most important changes was the introduction of new research and efficiency measures. In March-May 1982, following agreement with print unions, the hot-metal Linotype printing process used to print The Times since the 19th century was phased out and replaced by computer input and photo-composition. This allowed print room staff at The Times and The Sunday Times to be reduced by half. But, direct input of text by journalists was for all that not achieved, and this was to remain an interim measure until the Wapping dispute of 1986, when The Times moved from New Printing House Square in Gray's Inn Road to new offices in Wapping.

In a 2007 meeting with the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications, which was investigating media ownership and the news, Murdoch stated that the law and the independent board prevented him from exercising editorial control.

ContentThe Times features news for the first half of the paper with the leading articles on the second page, the Opinion/Comment section begins afterwards the first news section with world news as a rule following this. The business pages begin on the centre spread, and are followed by The Register, containing obituaries, Court & Social section, and related material. The sport section is at the end of the main paper.