In June 2015, controversial media mogul, Rupert Murdoch, announced that he would be stepping
down as CEO of 21st Century Fox.
The success of his sensational tabloid style has made the 84-year-old business magnate
extremely rich and politically influential.
So, how did he do it?
Who is Rupert Murdoch?
Well, Rupert Murdoch was born in Australia to Sir Keith Arthur Murdoch.
His father was the owner of a thriving newspaper group, News Limited.
After inheriting News Limited at the age of 21, Murdoch was credited with inventing the
“modern tabloid”.
He increased his newspaper’s popularity by using eye-catching headlines and scandalous
stories.
Over the next few decades, Murdoch purchased a large number of newspaper companies in Australia,
the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Within 50 years, his News Corporation came to own more than 800 companies in over 50
countries.
This pushed his personal net worth up to $13.9 billion, and made him one of the richest people
in the world.
As the controlling interest in a large number of popular media companies, he has been criticized
for pushing a politically biased slant in his publications.
Murdoch’s support of British Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair has been
evident in the coverage they’ve received in his papers.
Regular secretive meetings between Blair and Murdoch became the topic of much controversy
in Britain.
So did the revelation in 2011 that the current British PM David Cameron, had also been secretly
meeting with Murdoch.
In 2011, one of his companies, News International, came under investigation for hacking into
the voicemails of certain public figures.
In connection to the case, Murdoch himself has been investigated for bribery and corruption
by the FBI.
In 2012 he resigned from News International.
Murdoch’s media holding company, News Corporation, was the third largest media conglomerate in
the world in 2009.
In 2013 it was split into News Corp and 21st Century Fox.
His style of media is best seen in the extremely successful and conservative Fox News cable
channel, with a direct opposition to liberal viewpoints.
However, Murdoch has openly supported Hillary Clinton, and in 2008 predicted that Barack
Obama would win the election, calling him a “rock star”.
Murdoch has been criticized for the opinionated bias of his publications, and the global shift
to a more popular but misleading style of tabloid journalism.
However, his overwhelming success in publishing suggests that many are receptive to this approach.
In 2009, Fox News was responsible for 9 out of the 10 most watched cable programs.
In Australia his newspapers accounted for nearly 60% of the daily newspaper market.
Although insider sources have said his recent stepping down is more of a title change than
a leadership change, it’s clear that his legacy and methods will continue for a long
time to come.
The importance of good journalism is often overlooked, but there are times when a story
has changed the course of history.
To learn about some of these stories, watch our video here.
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