Rupert Murdoch at the Helm of His Global Media Empire
Rupert Murdoch is an Australian-born media magnate who is the Chairman and CEO of News Corporation, which is one of the world’s largest media conglomerates. He holds a unique position in the media industry, and his current professional successes have been decades in the making. Throughout his illustrious career, Murdoch has been at the helm of a wide array of media ventures, and he has established enduring international relationships with many big media players around the world.
Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1931, Murdoch is the son of Keith Murdoch and his mistress, Elisabeth Joy Green. His father had extensive influence in the media industry, and Murdoch inherited much of his business know-how from him. Murdoch attended private schools in his early childhood, eventually attending Oxford University in 1953 for a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics.
After graduating from Oxford, Murdoch moved back to Australia, where he acquired ownership of the Adelaide News, a local newspaper in Rupert’s home town. This purchase began the trajectory of Murdoch’s industry domination and remains the start of his long string of media purchases that have continued for the past decade or so. From the Adelaide News, Murdoch went on to purchase a majority stake in The News of the World and The Sun, two of the United Kingdom's largest tabloid newspapers.
Murdoch then shifted his focus to the US, and his acquisition of the New York Post in 1976 signaled the real beginnings of his international media empire. He proceeded to purchase a majority stake in Twentieth Century Fox and began pushing heavily into the television world, acquiring broadcasting networks such as the Fox Broadcasting Company and Fox Television Stations. Since the 1990s, Murdoch has expanded his holdings into a vast global network of media enterprises, including Fox News, the Star TV network, HarperCollins book publishing, and Dow Jones & Company, which publishes The Wall Street Journal.
At the core of Murdoch’s empire is News Corporation, a media conglomerate that he holds majority control of through a class B voting bloc. This voting bloc allows Murdoch to control how News Corp is managed, and many shareholders have expressed their concern over how much influence Murdoch has over the company. This has been a central issue to the Murdoch family and their power within the company, as they have been accused of nepotism and operating their media properties in overly paternalistic ways.
Outside of his corporate involvements, Murdoch has used his position of power to become an influential political figure, both in the US and internationally. He has been an active supporter of multiple conservative political causes, especially those pushing for a return to traditional values. Additionally, his papers, radio and television shows, as well as films, have shaped public opinion and shaped conservative discourse in many countries from the US to the UK and Europe.
Though his influence is often denigrated and misrepresented, it cannot be denied that Murdoch has played an integral role in the development of the global media landscape. His is a figure that international media consumers know and understand, and his impact on the media sector should not be minimised or overlooked. Rupert Murdoch has been at the helm of his global media empire for many years, and it is likely that his mark will continue to be felt for years to come.
