“Murdoch: The Making of a Media Empire”
Admire or fear him, you can't ignore Rupert Murdoch. Chances are, no matter where you are; he influences your life through his newspapers, magazines or a TV network. Rupert Murdoch has been on the losing end of many name-calling excursions. He's been called "media's demon king" and "a slimy character." Nonetheless, he is perhaps the world's most successful businessman, a baron of the global village - and his power is growing every day.
The Making of a Media Empire, written by best selling author William Shawcross, takes readers into the mind of the infamous media mogul--and to the heart of his phenomenal success. Readers will discover the secrets of his deal-making prowess, his views on leadership, his love of risk-taking, his unending ambition (nearing 70, he still works like a man possessed), how he constantly looks to the future, and how he sells his visionary ideas.
This book also looks at Murdoch's deals, schemes, and dreams, revealing how he planned his career, crushed his competitors, and ended up on top. The story of his success is the business story of the decade. In a brief time, Murdoch has transformed himself from the owner of a single newspaper in an Australian backwater to the titan of News Corporation, one of the world's largest, most sophisticated communication empires. In fact, of the six international media giants (Time/Warner, Sony, Bertelsmann, Berlusconi, Disney and News Corporation), only News Corporation is owned and controlled by one man. Only News Corporation stretches completely around the earth. And only News Corporation has Rupert Murdoch.
The book is broken up into four parts. It begins with The Early Years. This section sets the scene of Rupert Murdoch's life. It discusses a brief history of who his forefathers were and where they came from. It shows the rise and rise (what, no fall?) of how Murdoch came into the newspaper business and into the beginnings of world power.
Part Two, named Breaking Out, is made up of four chapters. The first chapter deals with Murdoch's opportunity to take over one of Britain's longest established popular newspapers, the "News of the World". This was a paper specializing in threesomes and misplaced virginities. After much time and effort, he took this paper to the next level, including adding an additional paper, "The Sun", as a daily version of this Sunday paper. Slowly but surely, Murdoch started to buy other newspapers to increase his reign of control. One such newspaper was the San Antonio "Express", the "News", and their combined Sunday paper, The "Express News" (which is what it's still called and still is owned by News Corporation).
In the next chapter, Shawcross denotes the many media businesses Murdoch took over in America. From the New York Post to the Village Voice and New York Magazine, Murdoch began to cut a wide swath across America's media outlets. London is the setting of the following chapter. It deals in particular with the raging battle for the Times and the Sunday Times. The subsequent evolutions of these papers can attribute themselves to Murdoch and his influences. Finishing up part two, Shawcross discusses Murdoch's desire to build up his presence in America. He had a relationship with the White House and used the election year to ensure his papers and magazines endorsed the best candidate (in this case, Reagan). As well, he took over the Boston Herald and continued his rise to power.
Part Three, includes five chapters, all dedicated to the new global media Murdoch had consumed and built up. Thus, this section is called The New World. In 1984 Murdoch began to really burst upon the public in the United States. In a cover story, Forbes magazine declared that he was "building the greatest communications empire the world has seen," and was "on the way to world leadership." (Shawcross, 181) Around this time, entertainment was more and more the staple of Western and particularly American culture. Information was being presented as entertainment, and there was no one more skilled at marrying and mixing the two businesses than Rupert Murdoch was. Having now brought News Corporation not only into existence, but into a stardom of sorts as well, Murdoch could easily be considered on of the most powerful men today.
Finally, part four, named The Village, talks about Rupert Murdoch, "the media mogul who is out to conquer the globe with his media empire" (Shawcross, 334). At this point, he held control of print media and television and film media worldwide and was still not satisfied. He continued to cross the oceans to merge and conquer what he could, and still does this today!
The book shows the basics in growing a business as well as the no-fear attitude it takes to win in the business environment. Even for those in the anti-Murdoch camp, one can't help but to admire this man for what he has created and for what he is today. There's much competition out there in this industry - Bertelsmann, Berlusconi, and not to mention his big American rival Ted Turner. The question is - which one of these men is crazier in love with money and power. It seems they will go to any length to gain and acquire everything they can. Media moguls have to make their mark, and Rupert Murdoch has certainly done so.