There's no shortage of interest in Dow Jones. The News Corp. bid ignited a rush of activity that has sucked in the likes of General Electric, Pearson, Microsoft and Hearst. There's a lot of work being done as we speak. While many think that Rupert Murdoch has the upper hand, with his very rich bid, it's anything but a done deal. The word is that supermarket magnate Ron Burkle has been in talks with the Dow Jones' union and might announce a long shot bid soon. The Bancrofts are interested in editorial independence and an offer that plays to that desire may find an audience. Some note that Burkle has long supported unions. It would be great to see another major media company step in and make this really interesting, but somehow you get the feeling that the original offer may be a ceiling. In this case, the richest offer may not win the company. Stay tuned.  

For more on Burkle:
- here's more from Fortune