History of Rupert Murdoch in Timeline
Rupert Murdoch is an Australian-born American media mogul who built a global empire through News Corp. His holdings have included major publishing outlets in the UK, Australia, and the US, such as HarperCollins, Sky News Australia, and Fox News. He formerly owned Sky and 21st Century Fox. As one of the wealthiest individuals globally, with a net worth exceeding $20 billion, Murdoch's significant media influence has led to him being described as an oligarch. His vast reach has given him considerable sway over both media narratives and political discourse.
1909: Mother's Birth Year
In 1909, Elisabeth Joy (née Greene), Rupert Murdoch's mother, was born.
1923: News Limited Established
In 1923, News Limited, which would later be led by Rupert Murdoch, was established.
1929: Sister Helen's Birth
In 1929, Helen Murdoch, Rupert's sister, was born.
March 1931: Rupert Murdoch Born
In March 1931, Keith Rupert Murdoch was born in Australia. He later became a prominent media mogul.
1935: Sister Anne's Birth
In 1935, Anne Murdoch, Rupert's sister, was born.
1939: Sister Janet's Birth
In 1939, Janet Murdoch, Rupert's sister, was born.
1952: Father's Death
In 1952, Keith Arthur Murdoch, Rupert's father, passed away.
1952: Took Over The News
In 1952, after his father's death, Murdoch took over the running of The News, a small Adelaide newspaper owned by his father.
1956: Acquired Sunday Times in Perth
In 1956, Rupert Murdoch expanded his media holdings by acquiring the troubled Sunday Times in Perth, Western Australia.
1956: Murdoch Marries Patricia Booker
In 1956, Rupert Murdoch married Patricia Booker, a former shop assistant and flight attendant from Melbourne.
1958: Birth of Prudence Murdoch
In 1958, Rupert Murdoch and Patricia Booker had their only child, Prudence Murdoch.
1960: Acquired The Daily Mirror
In 1960, Murdoch acquired The Daily Mirror, a Sydney afternoon tabloid.
January 1964: Purchase of The Dominion
In January 1964, Murdoch launched a counter-bid and successfully acquired a controlling interest in the New Zealand daily The Dominion.
July 1964: Political Alignment
In July 1964, Murdoch's newspaper, The Australian, began consistently supporting Sir John McEwen, creating a division within the coalition government.
1967: Harold Evans Editor of Sunday Times
In 1967, Harold Evans became the editor of the Sunday Times.
1967: Murdoch Divorces Patricia Booker
In 1967, Rupert Murdoch and Patricia Booker divorced.
1967: Murdoch married Anna Torv
In 1967, Rupert Murdoch married Anna Torv, a Scottish-born cadet journalist.
August 1968: Elisabeth Murdoch was born
In August 1968, Elisabeth Murdoch, the daughter of Rupert Murdoch and Anna Torv, was born in Sydney, Australia.
1968: Acquisition of News of the World
In 1968, Murdoch entered the British newspaper market with his acquisition of the News of the World.
1969: Expanded into the United Kingdom
In 1969, Murdoch expanded into the United Kingdom, taking over the News of the World, followed closely by The Sun.
1969: Purchase of The Sun
In 1969, Murdoch purchased The Sun and transformed it into a tabloid format.
September 1971: Lachlan Murdoch was born
In September 1971, Lachlan Murdoch, the son of Rupert Murdoch and Anna Torv, was born in London, UK.
December 1972: James Murdoch was born
In December 1972, James Murdoch, the son of Rupert Murdoch and Anna Torv, was born in London.
1972: Acquired The Daily Telegraph
In 1972, Murdoch acquired the Sydney morning tabloid The Daily Telegraph from Sir Frank Packer.
1973: First US Acquisition
In 1973, Rupert Murdoch made his first acquisition in the United States with the purchase of the San Antonio Express-News.
1974: Moved to New York City
In 1974, Murdoch moved to New York City to expand into the US market, while still maintaining interests in Australia and the UK.
1976: Purchase of the New York Post
In 1976, Rupert Murdoch purchased the New York Post, expanding his media presence in the United States.
1980: Murdoch Credited with Reagan Victory
In 1980, Ronald Reagan's campaign team credited Rupert Murdoch and the New York Post for Reagan's victory in New York during the United States presidential election.
February 1981: Acquisition of The Times and The Sunday Times
In February 1981, Rupert Murdoch, already the owner of The Sun and News of the World, acquired The Times and The Sunday Times. Margaret Thatcher's government allowed the bid to proceed without referral to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
1981: Acquisition of The Times
In 1981, Murdoch acquired The Times and Sunday Times from Lord Thomson of Fleet.
1982: Dirty Laundry released
In 1982, Don Henley released "Dirty Laundry", which he would later dedicate to Murdoch and Bill O'Reilly during his tours.
March 1984: Acquisition of Interest in 20th Century Fox
In March 1984, Rupert Murdoch bought Marc Rich's interest in 20th Century Fox from Marvin Davis for $250 million.
1984: Appointed Companion of the Order of Australia
In 1984, Murdoch was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his services to publishing.
September 1985: Murdoch Becomes US Citizen
On 4 September 1985, Rupert Murdoch became a naturalized US citizen to meet legal requirements for owning US television stations.
1985: Became a US Citizen
In 1985, Murdoch became a naturalized US citizen, giving up his Australian citizenship to meet the legal requirement for US television network ownership.
October 1986: Fox Broadcasting Company Founded
On 9 October 1986, the Fox Broadcasting Company was founded, with its nucleus formed by the six television stations previously owned by Metromedia.
December 1986: News Corporation increases stake in SCMP
In December 1986, Dow Jones & Company sold about 19% of its shares of SCMP to News Corporation for US$57.2 million.
1986: News Corporation's Tax Practices
From 1986, News Corporation maintained subsidiaries in tax havens like the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, resulting in an average annual tax bill of approximately seven percent of its profits.
1986: Consolidated UK Printing Operations
In 1986, Murdoch consolidated his UK printing operations in London to adopt newer electronic publishing technologies, which led to industrial disputes.
1986: Introduction of Electronic Production
In 1986, Murdoch introduced electronic production processes to his newspapers, leading to the Wapping dispute.
1986: Takeover Bid for The Herald and Weekly Times
In 1986, Murdoch launched a successful takeover bid for The Herald and Weekly Times after media ownership laws were relaxed.
1986: Purchase of Misty Mountain
In 1986, Rupert Murdoch purchased Misty Mountain, a house in Beverly Hills designed by Wallace Neff, which was previously owned by Jules C. Stein.
1987: Creation of World Music Video Awards
In 1987, Rupert Murdoch created the World Music Video Awards, a global television special where winners were chosen by viewers in eight countries. He also bought The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd. in Australia.
1987: Settlement for Dismissed Workers
In 1987, the dismissed workers from the Wapping dispute accepted a settlement of £60 million.
1988: Family Business was published
In 1988, Murdoch's companies published "Family Business", a novel written by his wife Anna Torv.
1989: Acquired HarperCollins
In 1989, News Corporation, Murdoch's holding company, acquired HarperCollins.
1990: Formed BSkyB
In 1990, Murdoch formed the British broadcaster BSkyB.
1990: Merger of Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting
In 1990, Rupert Murdoch's Sky Television, heavily subsidized by his other holdings, convinced rival British Satellite Broadcasting to merge on his terms. The merged company, BSkyB, has since dominated the British pay-TV market through direct-to-home satellite broadcasting.
1991: Coming to Terms was published
In 1991, Murdoch's companies published "Coming to Terms", a novel written by his wife Anna Torv.
1992: The Sun and the 1992 General Election
In 1992, The Sun newspaper credited itself with contributing to John Major's unexpected victory in the general election.
1993: Elisabeth Murdoch married Elkin Kwesi Pianim
In 1993, Elisabeth Murdoch married Elkin Kwesi Pianim after graduating from Vassar College.
1994: Blair becomes leader
In 1994, Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party, shifting it towards a more centrist position on many economic issues by 1997.
1995: Elisabeth Murdoch re-sold television stations for profit
In 1995, Elisabeth Murdoch quickly re-organized and re-sold the NBC-affiliate television stations in California for a $12 million profit.
1995: Scrutiny from FCC and Launch of The Weekly Standard
In 1995, Fox was under scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over News Ltd.'s Australian base, but the FCC ruled in Murdoch's favor. Also in 1995, Murdoch announced a deal with MCI Communications to develop a news website and magazine, The Weekly Standard.
1996: BSkyB Subscriber Growth
By 1996, BSkyB had exceeded 3.6 million subscribers, tripling the customer base of cable in the United Kingdom.
1996: The Fourth Estate published
In 1996, Jeffrey Archer published "The Fourth Estate", featuring thinly fictionalized versions of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell.
1996: Fox News Channel Launched
In 1996, Rupert Murdoch entered the cable news market with the launch of the Fox News Channel, a 24-hour cable news station.
1996: 20th Century Fox Buys Four Star Television Assets
In 1996, Rupert Murdoch's 20th Century Fox bought out the remaining assets of Four Star Television from Ronald Perelman's Compact Video.
1997: Labour economic shift
By 1997, the Labour Party, under Tony Blair's leadership since 1994, shifted to a more centrist position on many economic issues.
1997: Elisabeth Murdoch met Matthew Freud
In 1997, Elisabeth Murdoch met Matthew Freud.
1997: The Sun's Readership
In 1997, The Sun attracted 10 million daily readers.
1997: Conservatives Suffered Annihilation
In 1997, the Conservatives had suffered a complete annihilation.
1997: Murdoch's papers support Labour
In the 1997 general election, Rupert Murdoch's papers were either neutral or supported Labour under Tony Blair.
1998: Elisabeth Murdoch divorced Elkin Kwesi Pianim
In 1998, Elisabeth Murdoch divorced Elkin Kwesi Pianim.
1998: Attempt to Buy Manchester United F.C.
In 1998, Murdoch's attempt to buy Manchester United F.C. for £625 million was blocked by the UK Competition Commission.
June 1999: Murdoch and Torv divorced
In June 1999, Rupert Murdoch and Anna Torv divorced, with Anna receiving a settlement of US$1.2 billion in assets.
June 1999: Murdoch married Wendi Deng
On June 25, 1999, just 17 days after divorcing Anna Torv, Rupert Murdoch married Wendi Deng.
1999: Supported Australian Republic
In 1999, Murdoch campaigned for the formation of an Australian republic during the referendum.
1999: Expanded Music Holdings
In 1999, Murdoch expanded his music holdings by acquiring Mushroom Records and merging it with Festival Records to create Festival Mushroom Records (FMR).
1999: Irrevocable Family Trust Set Up
In 1999, after Rupert and Anna Murdoch's divorce, an irrevocable family trust was established to hold the family's 28.5% stake in News Corp, giving their children equal say in the business after Rupert's death.
1999: The Chimp Channel aired featuring a Murdoch parody
In 1999, the Ted Turner-owned TBS channel aired an original sitcom, "The Chimp Channel", featuring a character thought to be a parody of Rupert Murdoch.
2000: News Corporation's Extensive Holdings
By 2000, Murdoch's News Corporation owned over 800 companies in more than 50 countries, with a net worth exceeding $5 billion.
November 2001: Grace Murdoch born
In November 2001, Grace Murdoch, daughter of Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng, was born in New York.
2001: Elisabeth Murdoch married Matthew Freud
In 2001, Elisabeth Murdoch married Matthew Freud.
2001: Grace Murdoch was born
In 2001, Grace Murdoch, daughter of Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng, was born.
2001: Murdoch's papers support Labour
In the 2001 general election, Rupert Murdoch's papers were either neutral or supported Labour under Tony Blair.
July 2003: Chloe Murdoch born
In July 2003, Chloe Murdoch, daughter of Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng, was born in New York.
November 2003: James Murdoch became Chief Executive of British Sky Broadcasting
In November 2003, James Murdoch became Chief Executive of the satellite television service British Sky Broadcasting.
2003: Chloe Murdoch was born
In 2003, Chloe Murdoch, daughter of Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng, was born.
2003: Murdoch Buys "Rosehearty" Home
In 2003, Rupert Murdoch bought "Rosehearty", an 11 bedroom home on a 5-acre waterfront estate in Centre Island, New York.
2003: Acquisition of Hughes Electronics
In late 2003, Rupert Murdoch acquired a 34% stake in Hughes Electronics, the operator of DirecTV, from General Motors for $6 billion.
2004: Sister Helen's Death
In 2004, Helen Murdoch, Rupert's sister, passed away.
July 2005: Lachlan Murdoch resigned from News Corporation executive posts
At the end of July 2005, Lachlan Murdoch resigned from his executive posts at News Corporation.
September 2005: News Corporation to buy IGN Entertainment
On 11 September 2005, News Corporation announced that it would buy IGN Entertainment for $650 million (USD).
2005: Murdoch claims Blair criticized BBC coverage
In 2005, during a speech in New York, Rupert Murdoch claimed that Tony Blair described the BBC's coverage of Hurricane Katrina as full of hatred towards America.
2005: News Corporation Stake Estimated Value
In 2005, the family's 28.5% stake in News Corporation was estimated to be worth about $6.1 billion.
2005: Murdoch's papers support Labour
In the 2005 general election, Rupert Murdoch's papers were either neutral or supported Labour under Tony Blair.
May 2006: Murdoch Hosts Fundraiser for Hillary Clinton
In May 2006, the Financial Times reported that Rupert Murdoch hosted a fund-raiser for Senator Hillary Clinton's Senate re-election campaign.
June 2006: News Corporation Consider Backing David Cameron
In June 2006, the BBC reported that Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation were considering backing new Conservative leader David Cameron at the next General Election.
July 2006: Murdoch's Opinion of David Cameron
In July 2006, when asked about his opinion of the Conservative leader David Cameron, Rupert Murdoch replied "Not much".
May 2007: Murdoch Offers to Purchase Dow Jones
In May 2007, Rupert Murdoch offered $5 billion to purchase Dow Jones & Company, though the Bancroft family initially declined the offer. This acquisition would give Murdoch control over publications like The Wall Street Journal.
October 2007: Comments on Australian Politics
In October 2007, at a News Corporation meeting, Rupert Murdoch declined to comment directly on the Australian federal election or whether John Howard should remain prime minister.
2007: Criticism of Kevin Rudd
In 2007, Murdoch criticized Kevin Rudd, Howard's successor, for his ambitions regarding climate change.
2007: Acquired The Wall Street Journal
In 2007, Murdoch's holding company, News Corporation, acquired The Wall Street Journal.
2007: News Corp dealt with John Malone
In 2007, News Corporation announced that it would sell certain assets and give cash to John Malone's company in exchange for its stock. Also in 2007, the company issued Murdoch's older children voting stock.
2007: Hiring of Andy Coulson
In 2007, Rupert Murdoch gave David Cameron a personal guarantee that there would be no risk attached to hiring Andy Coulson, the former editor of News of the World, as the Conservative Party's communication director, despite Coulson's resignation over phone hacking.
August 2008: Cameron Accepts Flights to Meet with Murdoch
In August 2008, David Cameron accepted free flights to have private talks and attend private parties with Rupert Murdoch on his yacht. Cameron declared he accepted a private plane provided by Murdoch's son-in-law.
2008: Criticism of Rudd's Fiscal Policies
In 2008, Murdoch criticized Rudd's fiscal policies.
2008: Murdoch Supports Barack Obama
In 2008, Rupert Murdoch stated his support for Barack Obama in the democratic primaries, praising his stance on education and predicting his victory in Ohio.
November 2009: Communication with Gordon Brown
In November 2009, it was revealed that Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Murdoch were in regular communication.
2009: Murdoch Wins Media Dispute with Berlusconi
In 2009, Rupert Murdoch won a media dispute with then Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. A judge ruled that Mediaset prevented News Corporation's Italian unit, Sky Italia, from buying advertisements on its television networks.
2009: Rudd's Accusations
In 2009, in response to accusations by Rudd that News Limited was running vendettas against him and his government, Murdoch opined that Rudd was "oversensitive".
2009: Possible Murdoch support for Cameron
In 2009, it was suggested that Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation might have decided to back David Cameron, in the aftermath of the News of the World phone hacking scandal.
September 2010: Murdoch Testifies on Immigration
On September 5, 2010, Rupert Murdoch testified before the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, advocating for ending mass deportations and endorsing a "comprehensive immigration reform" plan.
October 2010: Murdoch Receives Anti-Defamation League Award
In October 2010, the Anti-Defamation League presented Rupert Murdoch with its International Leadership Award for his support of Israel and commitment to combating antisemitism.
2010: McKnight Identifies Characteristics of Murdoch's Media Operations
In 2010, McKnight identified four characteristics of Rupert Murdoch's media operations: free market ideology; unified positions on matters of public policy; global editorial meetings; and opposition to liberal bias in other public media.
2010: News Corporation Donations and Murdoch's Board Membership
In 2010, News Corporation donated US$1 million to the Republican Governors Association and $1 million to the US Chamber of Commerce. Rupert Murdoch also served on the board of directors of the libertarian Cato Institute.
January 2011: Prudence MacLeod appointed to Times Newspapers Ltd board
On January 28, 2011, Prudence MacLeod, Rupert Murdoch's eldest child, was appointed to the board of Times Newspapers Ltd.
July 2011: Phone Hacking Allegations
In July 2011, Murdoch's companies, including News of the World, faced allegations of regularly hacking the phones of celebrities, royalty, and public citizens.
July 2011: Murdoch Testifies Before Parliament
In July 2011, Rupert Murdoch, along with his son James, testified before a British parliamentary committee regarding phone hacking. His media empire came under fire as investigators probed reports of phone hacking.
July 2011: Cameron's Meetings with News Corporation Executives
In July 2011, it was revealed that David Cameron had met with key executives of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation 26 times during his first 14 months as prime minister.
July 2011: Summons to Testify Before Committee
On 14 July 2011, Rupert Murdoch and his son James were summoned to testify before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the House of Commons. Murdoch described the day of the committee as "the most humble day of my life".
September 2011: Tony Blair revealed as Grace Murdoch's godfather
In September 2011, it was revealed that Tony Blair is Grace Murdoch's godfather.
2011: Mother's Age
In 2011, Murdoch's mother was 102 years old and had 74 descendants.
2011: Murdoch Advocates for Open Immigration Policies
In 2011, Rupert Murdoch advocated for more open immigration policies in western nations. He joined the Partnership for a New American Economy, supporting a path to legal status for illegal immigrants and increased legal immigration.
February 2012: Police Investigate Corrupt Officials
On 27 February 2012, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers informed the Leveson Inquiry that police are investigating a "network of corrupt officials" as part of their inquiries into phone hacking and police corruption, alleging a "culture of illegal payments" at The Sun authorized at a senior level.
May 2012: Report on Murdoch's Fitness
On 1 May 2012, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee issued a report stating that Rupert Murdoch was "not a fit person to exercise the stewardship of a major international company".
July 2012: Resigned as Director of News International
On 21 July 2012, Murdoch resigned as a director of News International.
2012: Mother's Death
In 2012, Dame Elisabeth Joy (née Greene), Rupert Murdoch's mother, passed away.
2012: Secret Meeting Revealed
In 2012, documents found in Margaret Thatcher's archives revealed that a secret meeting had taken place a month before February 1981, in which Rupert Murdoch briefed Thatcher on his plans for The Times.
2012: Murdoch Supports Republican Victory
In 2012, during the US presidential election, Rupert Murdoch expressed strong support for a Republican victory, particularly for Mitt Romney, to "save us from socialism."
2012: Hacks telemovie broadcast on Channel 4
In 2012, the satirical telemovie "Hacks" was broadcast on the UK's Channel 4, featuring a character that made obvious comparison to Rupert Murdoch.
May 2013: Murdoch Purchases Moraga Estate
In May 2013, Rupert Murdoch purchased the Moraga Estate, an estate, vineyard and winery in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California.
June 2013: Murdoch filed for divorce from Deng
On June 13, 2013, Rupert Murdoch filed for divorce from Wendi Deng in New York City, citing that the marriage had been irretrievably broken for more than six months.
July 2013: Secret Recording Revealed
On 3 July 2013, a secret recording was revealed where Rupert Murdoch could be heard telling journalists that the phone hacking investigation was a fuss over nothing and that he would take care of any journalists who went to prison.
2013: News Corp accused of supporting Liberal government
In 2013, News Corp papers were accused of supporting the campaign of the Australian Liberal government and influencing public opinion during the federal election. Murdoch tweeted regarding public sector workers.
2013: Anchorman 2 features a character inspired by Murdoch
In 2013, the film "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" featured an Australian character inspired by Rupert Murdoch.
June 2014: 21st Century Fox Bids for Time Warner
In June 2014, Murdoch's 21st Century Fox bid $85 per share for Time Warner, totaling $80 billion. The offer included the proposed sale of CNN to ease antitrust concerns.
August 2014: 21st Century Fox Withdraws Time Warner Bid
On August 5, 2014, 21st Century Fox announced it withdrew its offer for Time Warner. Instead, the company planned to spend $6 billion buying back its own shares over the next 12 months.
2014: Rupert Murdoch's estimated wealth
In 2014, Forbes estimated Rupert Murdoch's wealth at USD 13.7 billion.
October 2015: Murdoch's Controversial Tweet and Apology
In October 2015, Rupert Murdoch stirred controversy with a tweet praising Ben Carson and referencing President Barack Obama, later issuing an apology for any offense caused.
November 2015: Tony Abbott's statement on Murdoch's impact
In November 2015, former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott stated that Murdoch "arguably has had more impact on the wider world than any other living Australian".
2015: Murdoch refused to kill Theranos story
In 2015, Elizabeth Holmes asked Rupert Murdoch to kill a story about Theranos, but Murdoch refused, trusting the Wall Street Journal's editors.
2015: Murdoch Steps Down as CEO of 21st Century Fox
In 2015, Rupert Murdoch stepped down from his role as CEO of 21st Century Fox, but retained ownership of the company.
January 2016: Murdoch announced his engagement to Jerry Hall
On January 11, 2016, Rupert Murdoch announced his engagement to Jerry Hall.
March 2016: Murdoch married Jerry Hall
On March 4, 2016, Rupert Murdoch married Jerry Hall in London, marking his fourth marriage.
June 2016: The Sun Supports Vote Leave
In June 2016, The Sun supported the Vote Leave campaign in the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.
2016: Forbes ranked Rupert Murdoch & Family as 35th most powerful person
In 2016, Forbes ranked "Rupert Murdoch & Family" as the 35th most powerful person in the world.
2016: Murdoch Acting CEO of Fox News
In 2016, Rupert Murdoch became acting CEO of Fox News following Roger Ailes' resignation due to accusations of sexual harassment, a position he held until 2019.
February 2017: Murdoch ranked as one of the richest people in the world
According to Forbes' February 2017 real-time list of world's billionaires, Murdoch was the 34th richest person in the US and the 96th richest person in the world, with a net worth of US$13.1 billion.
2017: Dunbar Published
In 2017, Edward St Aubyn's novel Dunbar was published, with the lead character at least partly inspired by Rupert Murdoch.
January 2018: CMA Blocks Murdoch's BSkyB Takeover
In January 2018, the CMA initially blocked Rupert Murdoch from acquiring the remaining 61% of BSkyB due to concerns about market dominance and potential media censorship, but later approved the bid conditioned on the sale of Sky News to Walt Disney Company. Eventually, Comcast gained control of BSkyB, and Murdoch sold his 39% stake to them.
2018: Murdoch Supports Trump and Hosts Mohammad bin Salman
During Donald Trump's term as US President, Rupert Murdoch showed support through his media empire. In early 2018, Mohammad bin Salman had dinner at Murdoch's Bel Air estate.
2018: Ownership of Sky
In 2018, Rupert Murdoch ceased to be the owner of Sky.
2018: Sale of Misty Mountain to James Murdoch
In 2018, Rupert Murdoch sold the Misty Mountain house in Beverly Hills to his son James Murdoch.
2018: Succession first aired
In 2018, the TV show Succession, featuring Logan Roy, a character inspired by Murdoch, first aired.
2019: Disney Purchases 21st Century Fox
In 2019, Disney purchased 21st Century Fox, after which a number of television broadcasting assets were spun off into the Fox Corporation, which Murdoch continued to own.
2019: Murdoch Purchases Holmwood Estate
In 2019, Rupert Murdoch and his wife Jerry Hall purchased Holmwood, an 18th-century house and estate in the English village of Binfield Heath.
2019: Ownership of 21st Century Fox
In 2019, Rupert Murdoch ceased to be the owner of 21st Century Fox.
2019: Murdoch family ranked on Forbes' list of world's billionaires
In 2019, the Murdoch family were ranked 52nd in the Forbes' annual list of the world's billionaires.
2020: Murdoch Isolates and Receives COVID-19 Vaccine
In late 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall isolated in their Binfield Heath home. He received his first COVID-19 vaccine on December 16.
April 2021: ADL Reconsiders Award to Murdoch
In April 2021, ADL director Jonathan Greenblatt informed Lachlan Murdoch that it would no longer give the leadership award to his father, Rupert Murdoch, due to accusations against Tucker Carlson and his espousal of the "white replacement theory".
March 2022: Murdoch's Net Worth
As of March 2022, Rupert Murdoch's net worth was US$21.7 billion, making him the 31st richest person in the United States and the 71st richest in the world, according to Forbes magazine.
June 2022: Report of Murdoch and Hall's impending divorce
In June 2022, The New York Times reported that Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall were set to divorce.
July 2022: Hall filed for divorce from Murdoch
On July 1, 2022, Jerry Hall filed for divorce from Rupert Murdoch, citing irreconcilable differences.
August 2022: Murdoch and Hall divorce finalised
In August 2022, the divorce between Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall was finalised.
September 2022: Murdoch met Ann Lesley Smith
In September 2022, Rupert Murdoch and Ann Lesley Smith first met at an event.
2022: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard wrote 'Evilest Man' about Murdoch
In 2022, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard wrote the track "Evilest Man" about Rupert Murdoch, for their album Omnium Gatherum.
January 2023: Murdoch Abandons News Corp and Fox Corporation Merger
In January 2023, Rupert Murdoch announced to the board that he had withdrawn the idea of merging News Corp and Fox Corporation, stating it was "not optimal for shareholders."
April 2023: Murdoch called off engagement to Smith
In April 2023, Rupert Murdoch suddenly called off his engagement to Ann Lesley Smith, two weeks after it was announced.
September 2023: Stepping Down as Chairman
In September 2023, Murdoch announced he would be stepping down as chairman of Fox Corp. and News Corp.
September 2023: Rupert Murdoch Retires and Hands Over Leadership to Lachlan
In September 2023, Rupert Murdoch retired and handed over the leadership of his businesses to his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch.
September 2023: Uncertainty of Murdoch as CEO
Until September 2023, it was not known how long Rupert Murdoch would remain as News Corporation's CEO.
2023: Murdoch Attempts to Change Family Trust
In 2023, Rupert Murdoch attempted to change the family trust, leading to a Nevada probate commissioner's finding that he could amend it if acting in good faith for the benefit of his heirs.
2023: Young Rupert: The Making of the Murdoch Empire published
In 2023, Walter Marsh's biography "Young Rupert: The Making of the Murdoch Empire" was published, focusing on Murdoch's early life and career.
2023: Succession concluded
In 2023, the TV show Succession, featuring Logan Roy, a character inspired by Murdoch, concluded.
March 2024: Murdoch and family ranked on Forbes list of The Richest People In The World
As per Forbes list dated March 8, 2024, Rupert Murdoch and family were ranked #100 with a net worth of $19.5 Billion.
March 2024: Murdoch became engaged to Elena Zhukova
In March 2024, Rupert Murdoch became engaged to Elena Zhukova.
June 2024: Murdoch married Elena Zhukova
In June 2024, Rupert Murdoch married Elena Zhukova at his estate in California.
June 2024: Children Estranged From Father
In June 2024, Rupert Murdoch's children were estranged from him, none of them attending his wedding to his fifth wife, Elena Zhukova.
September 2024: Court Case Over Family Trust
As of September 2024, the Murdoch family is involved in a US court case where three of his children are challenging his bid to amend the family trust.
