The Man Who Owns the News

The Man Who Owns the News is Michael Wolff's biography of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, based on over 50 hours of interviews with Murdoch himself and hundreds of hours with his family members and associates. The book traces Murdoch's path from inheriting a small Australian newspaper to building News Corporation into a global media empire. Through extensive reporting and insider access, Wolff reconstructs key business deals and corporate maneuvers that shaped Murdoch's career and the modern media landscape. Wolff examines Murdoch's personal life, marriages, family dynamics, and relationships with political figures across multiple continents. The narrative covers his acquisition of major properties like The Wall Street Journal while exploring the internal workings of his vast corporate network. This biography raises questions about power, influence, and the intersection of media and politics in the modern era. Through Murdoch's story, Wolff presents a broader examination of how individual media ownership impacts public discourse and shapes world events.

Readers found this biography of Rupert Murdoch provided insider access but questioned its accuracy and bias. Several reviewers noted Wolff secured extensive interviews with Murdoch but felt he was too sympathetic to his subject. Readers appreciated: - Behind-the-scenes details about News Corp deals and operations - Coverage of Murdoch's family dynamics and succession planning - Writing style that maintains interest despite complex business topics Common criticisms: - Too favorable portrait of Murdoch - Lack of fact-checking and verification - Disorganized structure and timeline jumps - Focus on gossip over substantive analysis Review scores: Goodreads: 3.3/5 (300+ ratings) Amazon: 3.5/5 (50+ reviews) Notable reader comments: "Fascinating access but reads like PR" - Goodreads reviewer "Wolff seems more interested in dropping names than investigative journalism" - Amazon review "Needed better editing and fact-checking" - Library Journal reader review

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📚 Author Michael Wolff secured unprecedented access to Rupert Murdoch for this biography, including over 50 hours of private conversations and interviews with the media mogul. 🗞️ The book reveals that Murdoch nearly lost his entire media empire in 1990 due to a massive debt crisis, coming within hours of financial collapse before securing a last-minute deal with his bankers. 🏢 News Corporation, the subject of much of the book, began as a single newspaper in Adelaide, Australia that Murdoch inherited from his father at age 22. 👥 During the research for this book, Wolff was allowed to sit in on private meetings between Murdoch and his children as they discussed the future leadership of News Corp. 💰 The book details how Murdoch's $5.6 billion purchase of Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal in 2007 was deeply personal for him, representing the pinnacle of his decades-long quest for respect from the American establishment.