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Airdate: Murdoch

Murdoch investigates the man behind the empire, exposing both his personal and professional worlds.

murd1Next month SBS screens a new two-part documentary series Murdoch, investigating Rupert Murdoch,  the man behind the empire, exposing both his personal and professional worlds.

This is a co-production between Electric Pictures and Brook Lapping Productions.

The life and times of the most talked about media mogul on the planet.

“He’s curious, a visionary and a maverick, he’s a game changer, that’s who he is.” – Hugh Jackman

“Rupert Murdoch has had more influence on the world business scene than any other Australian.” – John Howard

Murdoch reveals Rupert as both a deeply divisive and remarkably successful tycoon who is considered awe-inspiring and terrifying to those he comes into contact with.

Today, at the age of 82, Rupert dominates the world’s media landscape through the power of his News Corporation.

However, his journey to the top has been peppered with hard-fought battles. When he was just 22, Murdoch’s Oxford University studies were interrupted by the sudden death of his father, Sir Keith Murdoch. He returned home to Australia and found himself in charge of his first newspaper in Adelaide.

Over the six decades that followed, Rupert battled his fierce Sydney rivals, faced down the British ‘Establishment’, forced his way into Hollywood, and today counts the richest, most powerful men and women in the world as his friends and confidents. High profile interviewees including Tony Blair and Australia’s own Barry Humphries, John Howard, Kim Williams CEO News Limited, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman are featured in Murdoch.

Now married to his third wife, Wendi Deng, nearly half his age, Rupert has a new lease on life with his two young daughters but currently faces his biggest battle with the bombshell of the UK phone hacking scandal.

This is the inside story of arguably the most influential and controversial Australian.

“Like the late Fuhrer he controls the media for his own personal benefit, he is power crazed I think for money and power.” Ted Turner, Founder of CNN

Starts Sunday 5 May, 8.30pm on SBS ONE.

David Knox blogs Eurovision for SBS

6 Responses

  1. I hope my EPG is wrong, but the synopsis for Murdoch says:

    “Murdoch is a dramedy that traces the story of a young misfit named Alex who is obsessed with a fictional western movie cowboy character named Murdoch”

    Genre: Religion

  2. @Jason: As I remember it, Rupert applied for the Channel TEN licence in Sydney in 1964 but was knocked back by the Menzies government because his Sydney newspaper the Daily Mirror supported Labor in the 1963 election. He owned WIN Wollongong and Mirror journalists wrote articles telling Sydney readers that they could watch an additional TV station by slightly realigning their antennas.

  3. Pity his newspapers became political propaganda sheets, but I do admire his business achievements. Were it not for RM, there would be no WIN-TV. He took on 7 & 9 (Packer & Fairfax) when they wouldn’t supply programming to WIN4, won, and made them buy programs from WIN. To take on Packer (Sir Frank) and Fairfax, back in the days, and win, is a mighty achievement. Must-see TV.

  4. Should be a very interesting viewing. Will watch no doubt. I admire hes business interests and his business savvy, butt hate his political agendas.

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