Think you took a big hit during the economy’s recent tumble? Could be worse – you could be out $9.6 billion.

That’s the value of the equity Warren Buffet has lost in Berkshire Hathaway Inc. this year, as of Oct. 17. Of course, that leaves him $52.1 billion. Not exactly a paltry sum. Still, it’s a loss — and he’s not alone.

From Thursday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal, in a story titled “The Less Wealthy CEO”:

“All told, chief executives at 175 of the U.S.’s biggest companies have seen the value of their equity in their own company decline by a cumulative $42.3 billion, or 28 percent, from the end of their most recent fiscal year through last week.”

Besides Buffet, the biggest losers were:

Larry Ellison, Oracle: Down $6.6 billion to $19.8 billion
Steve Ballmer, Microsoft: Down $4.8 billion to $9.8 billion
Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com: Down $4.2 billion to $5.0 billion
Rupert Murdoch, News Corp.: Down $3.9 billion to $3.0 billion

I don’t expect to see any of these gents in line at the local soup kitchen, but it’s reassuring in a way to know that it’s not just the little guy that’s taking economic body blows.

JOE BACCHUS, Web Specialist

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I woke up this morning wondering how long it would it would take to see the effects of Rupert Murdoch’s acquisition of The Wall Street Journal. I didn’t have long to wait.

When I opened my front door, my Journal was not waiting for me right next to the door where it always is. My heart sunk. What, no paper?

Then I found it. It was on the third step, just far enough down so I couldn’t see it from the door.

What’s next, Rupert? The second step? The first step? The sidewalk? The shrubbery? Clearly, the decline and fall of a great newspaper has begun. And I blame it all on Rupert.

-TOM LINTHICUM, Executive Editor

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Before the ink on the contracts had dried and long before journalism’s purists stopped gnashing their teeth, word came Wednesday from the Federal Communications Commission that Rupert Murdoch’s purchase of The Wall Street Journal is still not a done deal.

Commissioner Michael J. Copps — not to be confused with 1980s television icon Michael J. Fox — issued a statement saying the deal needs to be reviewed by the FCC.

“This deal means more media consolidation and fewer independent voices, and it specifically impacts the local market in New York City,” Copp wrote.

He added, much to the delight of those decrying the purchase as a sign of the apocalypse, “What’s good for shareholders of huge media conglomerates isn’t always what’s good for the public interest or our civic dialogue.”

Speaking of civic dialogue, what do you think?

-LOUIS LLOVIO, Daily Record Business Writer

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