Payson Roundup

Rupert Murdoch, head of News Corp., the $70 billion global media conglomerate, was asked during the recent U.S. presidential campaign if he had a preference between the two candidates. He didn’t hesitate for a second before answering Barack Obama. He then added that Obama was his pick because his election would sell more newspapers. In a fascinating new biography, it is clear that even though Murdoch is involved with numerous enterprises, including both international magazine publications and network TV, he is first and foremost a newspaperman.

When Michael Wolff, a columnist for Vanity Fair and a two-time National Magazine Award winner, approached Murdoch to discuss the possibility of a book, he did so with caution. He was amazed when Murdoch agreed to cooperate and even more so when the mogul granted unprecedented access that included nearly 50 hours of one-on-one interviews conducted over a nine-month period. In addition to Murdoch’s help, Wolff also received help from other family members including his four children, his current and former wives, and even his 99-year-old mother, Dame Elizabeth Murdoch. The result is a deliciously written biography that reveals a wickedly astute portrait of a man who, even at the age of 77, shows no signs of slowing down or retiring.

How did this Australian who came into the publishing business as an outsider build such a global media empire that includes more than 100 newspapers, the Fox movie studio and television networks, satellite TV systems in Europe and Asia, the book imprint Harper-Collins, and MySpace? According to Wolff, Murdoch achieved most of his major goals because he is focused and sees no middle ground, no compromise and no ambivalence when it comes to getting what he wants.

One of his more intriguing goals was his acquisition of Dow Jones in 2007. How he teamed up with Dow Jones CEO Richard Zannino to wrest Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal from the Bancroft family underscores his incredible determination. After adding the Bancroft holdings to his brand, there appears to be just one prize he has yet to acquire: The New York Times.

Written in a breezy, irresistible style, Wolff serves up a narrative that has all of the drama and unexpected twists and turns of a novel. Even though Murdoch has reached an age when most people think of retirement, he remains at the top of his game. Many also believe that there are still chapters of his colorful life yet to unfold.