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Rupert murdoch
The Patriarch of the Murdoch Empire, Rupert Murdoch was born on March 11, 1931, in Melbourne, Australia. In 1952, he inherited a small newspaper business from his father, Sir Keith Murdoch. Rupert expanded and transformed this inheritance into a global empire.
In 1964, Rupert Murdoch launched The Australian, positioning it as a national newspaper. Over the years, The Australian became one of the country's leading newspapers, influencing public discourse on political, economic, and social issues.
Over the years, Murdoch continued to acquire and establish media outlets, including; 'The Sun', 'The Times', and 'Sunday Times' in the UK. In 1985, he purchased Twentieth Century Fox film studio, causing his shift into expanding through television with the creation of Fox Broadcasting Company. As a result, his shift into television, especially in the United States has allowed for 'Fox News' to become the number one viewed cable news channel with an average of 1.4 million viewers everyday.
In 1989, he launched Sky Television in the United Kingdom, a satellite television service that would later merge with rival British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB). In 1996, Sky News Australia was launched as a joint venture between the largest news networks in the country; British Sky Broadcasting, Seven Network, and Nine Network. Sky News Australia is now the 5th most popular news channel in Australia.
Today Murdoch's empire stands as one of the most powerful and rich, estimated to stand around $21.7 billion.
2011 Phone hacking scandal
In 2011, it was revealed that journalists at the 'News of the World' newspaper had engaged in widespread phone hacking to obtain information for stories. The scandal led to the closure of News of the World and resulted in multiple investigations, arrests, and legal proceedings. Rupert Murdoch and other executives faced scrutiny for their handling of the situation. Most notably, Rupert came under scrutiny due to his decision to suddenly close the newspaper as the story was being revealed.
Political influence and scrutiny surrounding regulation of news
Murdoch has been known for his close relationships with various political figures, especially in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia. Due to this, Murdoch's newspapers and television networks have been accused of influencing elections by shaping public opinion. In order to navigate regulatory concerns, Murdoch's companies sometimes made commitments or promises. This may include the maintenance of editorial independence, limit market dominance, or implement ethical standards. This, however, has made little-to-no dent in the bias of his empire.
Lachlan murdoch
Born in London, England in 1971, Lachlan Murdoch is the 'eldest boy' of the Murdoch empire.
Lachlan started his career in the family business, News Corporation. Lachlan played a significant role in the Australian operations of News Corporation. He served as the publisher of The Daily Telegraph, a Sydney-based newspaper. Additionally, he served as the deputy chief operating officer of News Corporation, overseeing various aspects of the company's operations.
In 2005, Lachlan separated from News Corp due to "differences in corporate strategy". In 2014, he was appointed non-executive co-chairman of 21st Century Fox, working alongside his father. Later in 2019, due to the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by the Walt Disney Company, Lachlan became the chairman and CEO of the remaining assets. This, in turn, formed a new entity called Fox Corporation. Fox Corporation includes Fox News, Fox Sports, and other media properties.
In September 2023, Rupert Murdoch's resignation from Fox Corp and News Corp led to Lachlan taking over as chairman of News Corp as well as his continuation of the chairmanship and CEO of Fox Corporation.
james murdoch
Born in Wimbledon, London, James attended Harvard University where he studied film and anthropology.
Along the same lines as his brother Lachlan, James joined News Corp in the early 1990s. He played an ever-expanding role in introducing and increasing Murdoch's empire in Asia, gaining himself the role of CEO of STAR (News Corp's Asian satellite television organisation).
In 2003, James became the CEO of British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB). Under his leadership, the company expanded its digital services and became one of the leading pay-TV providers in the UK.
In 2011, due to his chairmanship of the company's ownership of newspapers, he resigned his position succeeding the 'News of the World' phone hacking scandal. This was as a result of questions surrounding his knowledge of the extent of the illegal practices that took place.
James Murdoch held various leadership roles within 21st Century Fox, including as the co-chief operating officer. He resigned from 21st Century Fox in 2015, citing disagreements over the company's editorial direction and corporate governance.
After leaving 21st Century Fox, James Murdoch served as the non-executive chairman of Sky plc, which was acquired by Comcast in 2018.
In late 2019 and early 2020, during the Australian black summer bush fires, James Murdoch broke ranks and criticised the 'climate denial' vitriol peddled by most notably Sky News Australia and the Australian. This included hosts like Andrew Bolt declaring climate change activists and protestors as "alarmists".
In late 2020, James Murdoch stepped down from his role on the News Corporation board
Tucker carlson
Former star of Fox News, Tucker Carlson once ran the highest rate one hour news segment in the entirety of the United States.
A divisive figure, Carlson has built a persona of a 'person seeking the truth in a corrupt system'. He has focused on his segments; trans/gay, racial, economic and cultural issues most dominated by the right.
Greg Gutfeld
The host of one of the biggest comedy talk shows in America named; 'GUTFELD!'
Gutfeld's comedy lies in right wing talking points and will regularly have guests on his show like; Tyrus, Jimmy Failla and Kat Timpf.
Jesse watters
The successor to Tucker Carlson's primetime show on Fox, Jesse Watters hosts his show; 'Watter's World'.
A ladder climber of Fox, Watters started out as a man on the street interviewer all the way to the one of the most prominent figures at FOX.
Andrew bolt
One of the most prominent faces on Sky, Andrew Bolt hosts his show; 'The Bolt Report'.
A veteran of the Murdoch empire, Andrew Bolt has faced many criticisms over his time at Sky.
For instance, in 2011, Bolt was found to have breached the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), decided by a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Australia. 9 Indigenous individuals claimed that his statement that light-skinned Indigenous people claimed to be Indigenous for personal gain. The court found that the statements made were inherently offensive.
Rowan dean
One of the most polarising characters on Sky, Rowan Dean is an outspoken voice of right-wing politics.
Criticised for extremely biased viewpoints such as the defunding of 'woke universities' in Australia.
Peta credlin
A powerhouse of Sky News Australia and former advisor of Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Peta Credlin hosts her show; 'Credlin'.
Also a polarising figure, she has been criticised for her vitriol against former Labor Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews with her regular reports and recent documentary; 'The Cult of Daniel Andrews'.
Piers morgan
An international figure, Piers Morgan formerly hosted; 'Good Morning Britain' on Sky and now hosts; 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' on YouTube.
Known for his pedantic interviews and tough questions, Piers has interviewed many individuals like right-wing reactionary Andrew Tate and current UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.