FIRST OFF . . .

Rupert Murdoch walked out on public TV’s “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour,” objecting to a taped profile of him that the media baron said wasn’t fair, a spokesman for the program said Wednesday. Murdoch, who recently sold the New York Post, was scheduled for a 12-minute live interview on Tuesday preceded by a taped profile of him and his ventures by media correspondent Hodding Carter III, said “NewsHour” spokesman Chris Ramsey. According to Ramsey, Murdoch arrived at the program’s New York studio, was shown the eight-minute Carter tape, said he didn’t think it was “fair” and refused to be interviewed unless the taped report was withdrawn. The demand was declined, Ramsey said, and Murdoch left. The Carter report was not broadcast and the program substituted a videotaped essay on the presidency by Roger Rosenblatt and extended an interview with recently resigned Navy Secretary James Webb. Ramsey said “NewsHour” will air the Murdoch profile later, after some revisions have been made.