Rupert Murdoch: King of Media
Chapter 1: Early Life and Rise to Power
Rupert Murdoch was born Keith Rupert Murdoch on March 11, 1931, in Melbourne, Australia, and was virtually born into the world of international media. He was the son of one Sir Keith Murdoch, a journalist and newspaper publisher; thus, Rupert was thrown head-first into the news and publishing world. His father's position gave him access to the most intricate parts of the media business, and this early exposure would lay the foundation for his eventual empire.
Murdoch’s rise to dominance in the media world began in 1952 when his father, Sir Keith Murdoch, died, leaving him the Adelaide-based newspaper The News. In short order, Murdoch proved himself a brilliant businessman by steadily expanding his media outlets and outcompeting all others through ruthless hardball tactics. His formula of sensationalist journalism included screaming headlines, sob stories, and celebrity scandals that greatly increased circulation and, consequently, profitability.
By the 1960s, Murdoch had outgrown Australia. He bought British newspapers, first The News of the World in 1968 and then The Sun in 1969. Both used populist copy to feed Murdoch’s rising reputation as a media kingpin with his finger on the pulse of ordinary people. His keen sense for what sells, combined with his good luck and taste…
