Via Pajamas Media, Jay Rosen has a thorough, link-filled analysis of the recent takeover of the Philadelphia Inquirer and what it might mean. His conclusion:

I don’t have any advice for the people in Philly. Too early. Like Meyer, I’m excited to see what happens. My prayer for the Philly papers is simple. I pray for glorious victory over the people who already know.

So far, I haven't seen any change in editorial policies. Despite my disagreements (especially over gun issues), the Inquirer is a fine newspaper with a devoted staff, a well-established, blog-savvy online presence, and an editor (Amanda Bennett) whose courage is second to none. The common goal of the new owners and the existing staff is success, and I see no rational reason why differences in political philosophy should stand in the way.

The idea that the new owners would actually do something like impose an ideological litmus test on editorial policies strikes me as too ridiculous for serious discussion. (For starters it would be bad for business.) Inevitably, I think that the new ownership will tend to create a public perception of heightened political diversity at the Inquirer, and I suppose that could create excitement. But since when does excitement hamper success?