Media moguls are once again making headlines. Michael Eisner has been fighting for his job at Disney. Conrad Black is fighting for his reputation, and perhaps his freedom. By comparison, Liz Mohn, who wields power on behalf of the controlling family at Bertelsmann, Europe's biggest media company, is an unknown. But at the firm's headquarters in Guetersloh, a German town far removed from the world's media capitals, Ms Mohn is creating considerable controversy. She is an unlikely media mogul: an engaging woman who does not hide her femininity, she argues that "emotional intelligence" is essential, and is a trait often missing in today's executives. Talking about Bertelsmann, which had a turnover of EUD18 billion ($19 billion) in 2002 from global operations in books, TV and music, Ms Mohn seems more interested in the firm's employee-friendly culture than in the media industry. The purpose of a firm, she says, is to offer a home to its workers. Mr Eisner and other media titans would surely laugh at so romantic a notion. )
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