Lyla Lindsey
Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch owns hundreds of publishing outlets around the world through his company News Corp. Murdoch's empire includes newspapers, radio, pay television, and online news. In Australia, he owns The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, and The Australian, along with around 100 physical and digital newspaper mastheads. Murdoch's influence in the Australian media landscape has been described as frightening by former prime minister Kevin Rudd, and his newspapers have been criticised for their right-wing bias.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Australian newspapers owned by Murdoch | 100 physical and digital newspaper mastheads in Australia (as of 2021) |
| Names of newspapers owned by Murdoch in Australia | The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Mercury, The Sunday Tasmanian, Northern Territory News, Sunday Territorian, Cumberland/Courier (NSW), Leader (Vic), Quest (Qld), Messenger (SA), Community (WA), Sun (NT) |
| Other media outlets owned by Murdoch in Australia | Sky News Australia, a minority shareholding in Here, There & Everywhere (formerly APN News & Media) |
| Murdoch's influence in Australia | Murdoch has been described as having a "media beast" in Australia, with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stating that "no one should be frightened of Murdoch, but...he's a frightening kind of guy, because of the power he wields" |
| Criticism of Murdoch's influence in Australia | Australia has one of the most concentrated media environments in the Western world, with News Corp's 60% stake in the print market regularly drawing criticism |
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What You'll Learn
Murdoch's Australian newspapers
Rupert Murdoch owns hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets through his company, News Corp. Murdoch's media empire in Australia includes print, radio, pay television, and online news.
Murdoch's portfolio of Australian news media brands includes roughly 100 physical and digital newspaper mastheads, along with the news website news.com.au. Some of the Australian newspapers owned by Murdoch include The Daily Telegraph, The Australian, The Herald Sun, The Weekend Australian, Northern Territory News, and The Mercury.
Murdoch's media influence in Australia is significant, with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stating that he was "fearful of the Murdoch media beast." Murdoch's newspapers in Australia have been described as having a right-wing news culture, and his brand has been criticised for its high level of concentration in the country's media environment.
In addition to his Australian newspapers, Murdoch also owns several international publications, including The Sun and The Times in the UK, and The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post in the US. Murdoch's company, News Corp, also owns television broadcasting channels such as Sky News Australia and Fox News.
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The history of Murdoch's media ownership in Australia
Rupert Murdoch's media ownership in Australia began in 1961 when he bought an Australian record label, Festival Records, and a television station in New South Wales. Frustrated by Australia's cross-media ownership laws, which prevented him from owning a newspaper and television station in the same city, Murdoch began lobbying for these laws to change.
In 1964, Murdoch launched The Australian, the country's first national daily newspaper, and acquired The Daily Telegraph from Australian media mogul Sir Frank Packer. That same year, News Limited made Murdoch's first overseas newspaper investment – a 29.57% stake in the Wellington Publishing Company, which later became part of Independent Newspapers Limited (INL), New Zealand's largest publishing group. Over the following years, Murdoch expanded his empire by acquiring numerous daily and suburban newspapers in most Australian capital cities, including The Daily Mirror.
In 1968, Murdoch entered the British newspaper market with his acquisition of News of the World, followed by The Sun in 1969. In 1974, he moved to New York City to expand into the American market, but retained interests in Australia and the UK. In 1981, Murdoch bought The Times, his first British broadsheet.
Murdoch's Australian media holdings fall under the banner of News Corp Australia, whose ultimate owner is the US-based News Corporation, of which Murdoch is executive chairman. As of 2021, this included roughly 100 physical and digital newspaper mastheads in Australia, along with the news website news.com.au. Murdoch's media empire also includes a 24-hour news service, Sky News Australia, and a minority shareholding in Here, There & Everywhere (formerly APN News & Media).
Murdoch's media influence in Australia has been described as a "'cancer on democracy' by former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who, along with former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, started a petition to establish a royal commission into media diversity in Australia. The petition attracted over half a million signatures.
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The influence of Murdoch's newspapers in Australia
Rupert Murdoch owns hundreds of publishing outlets worldwide, including in Australia, through his company News Corp. Murdoch's media holdings in Australia include print, radio, pay television, and online news.
In print, Murdoch owns roughly 100 physical and digital newspaper mastheads in Australia, including The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, the Herald Sun, and The Advertiser. In radio, he owns a minority shareholding in Here, There & Everywhere. Murdoch also owns the 24-hour news service Sky News Australia.
Murdoch's media holdings have given him significant influence in Australia. In 2001, News Corp Australia had nearly three-quarters of daily metropolitan newspaper circulation, which it maintained through 2020. This influence has been used to support Murdoch's political interests, such as with the National Party of Australia and the Australian Labor Party.
The extent of Murdoch's influence has been debated, particularly in the era of the internet and social media, where news consumers have access to a wider range of international and local online sources. Surveys have found that in 2019, only 11% of people read hardcopy newspapers daily, while more than half got their news from television or online news and social media.
Despite this, critics argue that owning the majority of Australia's newspaper industry allows the Murdoch family to push their views and shift perceptions of politicians and issues. Kevin Rudd, for example, described News Corp as a "cancer on democracy," and claimed that it "owns 70% of the newspapers in this country." However, others have disputed the accuracy of this statement, with one source stating that News Corp's share of daily newspapers in Australia was 23% in 2011.
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Other media owned by Murdoch in Australia
Rupert Murdoch owns hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets through his company News Corp. In Australia, Murdoch owns several newspapers, including The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, and The Australian.
In addition to print media, Murdoch has a significant presence in other forms of media in Australia. He owns Sky News Australia, a 24-hour news service, and has a minority shareholding in Here, There & Everywhere (formerly APN News & Media), which falls under the banner of News Corp Australia. Murdoch also has a stake in the radio market, with News Corp owning approximately 15% of HT&E, whose subsidiary Australian Radio Network operates several radio networks, including KIIS, Pure Gold, and The Edge.
Murdoch's media reach in Australia extends beyond traditional print and broadcast media. His portfolio includes online news websites such as news.com.au, which is one of the top news websites in the country. Additionally, Murdoch's influence is felt in the film and television production industry, as News Corp Australia is involved in film and television production trading assets.
Murdoch's media holdings in Australia have sparked debates and inquiries into media diversity and concentration. His publications have been known to support his political interests, and News Corp Australia has been accused of offering to promote certain political party policies during election campaigns. Murdoch's influence has led to descriptions of him as an oligarch, and his media outlets have been described as having an outsized influence on Australians' access to media and news.
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The future of Murdoch's Australian newspapers
Murdoch's media empire in Australia began in the 1950s when he took over the running of "The News," a small Adelaide newspaper owned by his father. Over the years, he expanded his reach, acquiring numerous newspapers in Australia and New Zealand, including "The Australian," "The Daily Telegraph," "The Herald Sun," and "The Weekend Australian." Through his company, News Corp, Murdoch owns approximately 100 physical and digital newspaper mastheads in Australia, along with the news website news.com.au.
However, the landscape of media consumption is changing. Traditional media is seeing a decline in younger audiences, who are turning to alternative sources for their news. In 2019, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that only 11% of people read hardcopy newspapers daily, while more than half preferred television or online news and social media. This shift in news consumption patterns poses a challenge to the future of Murdoch's Australian newspapers.
Despite the changing media landscape, Murdoch's influence in Australian politics and media remains a topic of discussion and concern. His close relationships with powerful political figures and his unapologetic quest for influence have been well-documented. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, for example, admitted to being "fearful" of the "Murdoch media beast."
As Murdoch's career draws to a close, the future of his Australian newspapers may depend on how successfully his successors navigate the changing media environment. Lachlan Murdoch, for instance, is expected to maintain the News Corp brand and its culture, indicating a strategy of continuity rather than change. While the brand may be "on the wane" with younger audiences, its influence is expected to continue, shaping the future of Murdoch's Australian newspapers.
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Frequently asked questions
Rupert Murdoch owns around 100 physical and digital newspaper mastheads in Australia through News Corp, including The Daily Telegraph, The Australian, and the Herald Sun.
News Corp is a media company owned by Murdoch with outlets in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and internationally.
Murdoch owns a minority shareholding in Here, There & Everywhere, formerly APN News & Media, and Sky News Australia.
Murdoch has been described as an oligarch due to his extensive wealth and influence over media and politics. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said, "The truth is as prime minister I was still fearful of the Murdoch media beast."
Murdoch inherited his first newspaper, The News, from his father, Sir Keith Murdoch, a well-known reporter and founding member of the Australian Journalists Association. Murdoch has since built an international media empire, starting with newspapers in Australia and New Zealand in the 1950s and 1960s.
