Lachlan Murdoch
Encyclopedia
Lachlan Keith Murdoch is the eldest son of Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch
and his second wife Anna Torv. He resigned from his executive positions at News Corporation on 29 July 2005. He is currently on the board of Network Ten
.
. He received his education at the exclusive Aspen Country Day School in Aspen, Colorado
(U.S.), Trinity School
in New York City as well as at the Phillips Academy
in Andover, Massachusetts
(U.S.). He received his BA from Princeton University
in 1994.
At the age of 22, Murdoch was appointed general manager of Queensland Newspapers, which publishes The Courier-Mail in Brisbane
. One year later, he became publisher of Australia’s first national paper, The Australian
. In 1995, he was appointed Deputy CEO of News Limited
, Executive Director of News Corporation
since 1996, Deputy Chief Operating Officer since 2000, Senior Executive Vice President from 1999 to 2000, and Chairman of STAR
since 1995.
Murdoch has been criticised as a "rich brat" for his "poor handling" of Murdoch interests in One.Tel
, which lost the empire millions of dollars. In this venture, Murdoch worked with Australian businessman James Packer
, the son of Kerry Packer
.
Murdoch has a strong personal interest in Australian rugby league
. On 30 March 1995, Murdoch was at the first Super League
meeting in the Atanaskovic Hartnell offices in Sydney. He and former Brisbane Broncos
chief John Ribot
signed up leading Bulldogs players on documents which were not legally effective. Murdoch has been the Broncos' number one ticket holder.
For the year 2001, Murdoch earned a salary of A$2.59 million. In June 2005, Murdoch received the Press & Outdoor Advertising "Media Person of The Year" award in Cannes
. Murdoch is one of the founding patrons (along with Anthony Pratt, Peter Lowy and Lisa Fox) of an organisation called "Advance", formerly known as "YAPA" (Young Australian Professionals in America).
After his resignation, Roger Ailes
, the chairman of Fox News Channel, was named chairman of News Corp's group of television stations. The abrupt and unexplained departure of the 33-year-old Murdoch apparently dashed News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch's hopes that his son would one day take over as CEO of the global media empire, which includes the Twentieth Century Fox movie studio, the Fox television network
, several satellite broadcasters, and newspapers in Britain, Australia, and the United States.
In the weeks after his resignation, however, he began a new venture, lodging applications to set up a new Australian company called Illyria Pty Ltd, in which he acts as sole director and secretary.
On 21 January 2008, Murdoch and James Packer
announced that their companies, Illyria Pty Ltd and Consolidated Press Holdings would seek to privatise Consolidated Media Holdings
which owns holdings in the Nine Network
, Foxtel
and Australian Consolidated Press
.
On 24 January 2008 Murdoch, along with Manoj Badale
and Suresh Chellaram under the banner of Emerging Media successfully bid for the Rajasthan Royals
franchise in the inaugural Indian Premier League
for US$67 million.
In 2010, after James Packer bought a large number of shares into Network Ten
, Murdoch approached Packer to buy some of his shares, causing Ten to offer both seats on their board, an offer which both Murdoch and Packer accepted. In February 2011, Murdoch was appointed acting CEO of Ten Network Holdings
after the company's board terminated the contract of CEO Grant Blackley.
. In November, 2009, Murdoch bought a mansion formerly owned by the French consulate in Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, New South Wales
. The mansion was acquired by Murdoch for $23 million. The house had also been inspected by Russell Crowe, who did not take part in the bidding. From time to time, Murdoch and Sarah host fundraising dinners for the charity Murdoch Children's Research Institute. Murdoch is considered to be a friend of Australian actress Nicole Kidman
, actor Russell Crowe and director Baz Luhrmann
. Murdoch is also the co-owner of the Indian Premier League
franchise team the Rajasthan Royals
.
Decision to leave News Corporation
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
and his second wife Anna Torv. He resigned from his executive positions at News Corporation on 29 July 2005. He is currently on the board of Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
.
Early life and education
Murdoch was born in London, England but was raised in a wealthy New York City neighbourhood where his father owned the New York PostNew York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
. He received his education at the exclusive Aspen Country Day School in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
(U.S.), Trinity School
Trinity School (New York City)
Trinity School is a private, preparatory, co-educational day school for grades K-12 located in New York City, USA, and a member of both the New York Interschool and the Ivy Preparatory School League...
in New York City as well as at the Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
in Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
(U.S.). He received his BA from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1994.
Career
In 1990 Rupert Murdoch brought Lachlan Murdoch, than 18 years old to Australia while on business to have Lachlan trained for three months at the Daily Mirror. That time the Printing / Publishing departments were situated at Surry Hills Sydney, entrusted by a printer named Arthur Violatzis. Together they created a good working relationship. By the end of Lachlan's third month Rupert Murdoch returned to the U.S taking Lachlan Murdoch. Although trainer and student vowed to keep in touch, they did not contact or seen eachother since.At the age of 22, Murdoch was appointed general manager of Queensland Newspapers, which publishes The Courier-Mail in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. One year later, he became publisher of Australia’s first national paper, The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
. In 1995, he was appointed Deputy CEO of News Limited
News Limited
News Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The publicly listed company's interests span newspaper and magazine publishing, Internet, Pay TV, National Rugby League, market research, DVD and film distribution, and film and television production trading assets.News Limited...
, Executive Director of News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
since 1996, Deputy Chief Operating Officer since 2000, Senior Executive Vice President from 1999 to 2000, and Chairman of STAR
STAR TV (Asia)
Satellite Television Asian Region is an Asian TV service owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.In 2009, News Corporation restructured STAR Asia into four units – STAR India, STAR Greater China, STAR Select and Fox International Channels....
since 1995.
Murdoch has been criticised as a "rich brat" for his "poor handling" of Murdoch interests in One.Tel
One.Tel
One.Tel was a group of Australian based telecommunications companies, including principally the publicly listed One.Tel Limited established in 1995 soon after deregulation of the Australian telecommunications industry, most of which are currently under external administration by court appointed...
, which lost the empire millions of dollars. In this venture, Murdoch worked with Australian businessman James Packer
James Packer
James Douglas Packer is an Australian businessman.Packer is the son of the late media mogul Kerry Packer and grandson of Frank Packer. He inherited the family company, Consolidated Press Holdings Limited, which controls investments in Crown Limited, Consolidated Media Holdings and other companies...
, the son of Kerry Packer
Kerry Packer
Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, AC was an Australian media tycoon. The son of Sir Frank Packer and Gretel Bullmore, the Packer family company owned controlling interest in both the Nine television network and leading Australian publishing company Australian Consolidated Press, which were later...
.
Murdoch has a strong personal interest in Australian rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. On 30 March 1995, Murdoch was at the first Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
meeting in the Atanaskovic Hartnell offices in Sydney. He and former Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
chief John Ribot
John Ribot
John Ribot is an Australian sports administrator and former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. Once a Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative winger, Ribot was the 1980 NSWRFL season's top try-scorer...
signed up leading Bulldogs players on documents which were not legally effective. Murdoch has been the Broncos' number one ticket holder.
For the year 2001, Murdoch earned a salary of A$2.59 million. In June 2005, Murdoch received the Press & Outdoor Advertising "Media Person of The Year" award in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
. Murdoch is one of the founding patrons (along with Anthony Pratt, Peter Lowy and Lisa Fox) of an organisation called "Advance", formerly known as "YAPA" (Young Australian Professionals in America).
After his resignation, Roger Ailes
Roger Ailes
Roger Eugene Ailes is president of Fox News Channel, chairman of the Fox Television Stations Group. Ailes was a media consultant for Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W...
, the chairman of Fox News Channel, was named chairman of News Corp's group of television stations. The abrupt and unexplained departure of the 33-year-old Murdoch apparently dashed News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch's hopes that his son would one day take over as CEO of the global media empire, which includes the Twentieth Century Fox movie studio, the Fox television network
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, several satellite broadcasters, and newspapers in Britain, Australia, and the United States.
In the weeks after his resignation, however, he began a new venture, lodging applications to set up a new Australian company called Illyria Pty Ltd, in which he acts as sole director and secretary.
On 21 January 2008, Murdoch and James Packer
James Packer
James Douglas Packer is an Australian businessman.Packer is the son of the late media mogul Kerry Packer and grandson of Frank Packer. He inherited the family company, Consolidated Press Holdings Limited, which controls investments in Crown Limited, Consolidated Media Holdings and other companies...
announced that their companies, Illyria Pty Ltd and Consolidated Press Holdings would seek to privatise Consolidated Media Holdings
Consolidated Media Holdings
Consolidated Media Holdings is an Australia investment company focused on subscription television.-About CMH:Consolidated Media Holdings is a publicly listed Australian company...
which owns holdings in the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
, Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
and Australian Consolidated Press
Australian Consolidated Press
ACP Magazines , a subsidiary of the Nine Entertainment Co., is an Australian media company. It publishes the Australian Women's Weekly and the Australian edition of Woman's Day....
.
On 24 January 2008 Murdoch, along with Manoj Badale
Manoj Badale
Manoj Badale, was born in Dhule, Maharashtra, India and later on moved to the UK. Manoj is a graduate of the University of Cambridge. He is the Chairman of Rajasthan Royals, an Indian Premier League Team representing Jaipur, Rajasthan...
and Suresh Chellaram under the banner of Emerging Media successfully bid for the Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals is an Indian Premier League franchise based on the city of the Jaipur captained and coached by former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne.They were the champions of the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League...
franchise in the inaugural Indian Premier League
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
for US$67 million.
In 2010, after James Packer bought a large number of shares into Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
, Murdoch approached Packer to buy some of his shares, causing Ten to offer both seats on their board, an offer which both Murdoch and Packer accepted. In February 2011, Murdoch was appointed acting CEO of Ten Network Holdings
Ten Network Holdings
Ten Network Holdings Limited, is one of Australia's major media companies. It is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.-Assets:While originally focusing on running a television network, Ten has recently diversified into a range of other media areas over the past decade...
after the company's board terminated the contract of CEO Grant Blackley.
Personal life
Murdoch married British born Australian model/actress, Sarah O'Hare in 1999. They have two sons, Kalan Alexander, born on 9 November 2004, and Aidan Patrick, born on 6 May 2006. On 12 April 2010, the couple had their third child, and first daughter, Aerin Elisabeth, named for his sister and grandmother. Prior to 2003, Murdoch and Sarah were owners of "Berthong", a house in Elizabeth Bay, Sydney, which was subsequently bought by Russell CroweRussell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
. In November, 2009, Murdoch bought a mansion formerly owned by the French consulate in Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, New South Wales
Bellevue Hill, New South Wales
Bellevue Hill is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bellevue Hill is an affluent suburb, located 5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra....
. The mansion was acquired by Murdoch for $23 million. The house had also been inspected by Russell Crowe, who did not take part in the bidding. From time to time, Murdoch and Sarah host fundraising dinners for the charity Murdoch Children's Research Institute. Murdoch is considered to be a friend of Australian actress Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
, actor Russell Crowe and director Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
. Murdoch is also the co-owner of the Indian Premier League
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
franchise team the Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals is an Indian Premier League franchise based on the city of the Jaipur captained and coached by former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne.They were the champions of the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League...
.
Medical development
Murdoch has pursued a keen interest in medical development following his work on HIV/AIDS. Murdoch reportedly indirectly owns a stake in Australian biotech company Fermiscan following wife Sarah's breast cancer advocacy work and has a number of medical development projects under way.Speeches
- Lachlan Murdoch's "Andrew Olle Media Lecture" 18 October 2002
- National Press Club of the U.S., 21 September 1999
Further reading
- Wendy Goldman Rohm Murdoch Mission (2002). Interviews with various Murdoch family members
- Neil Chenoweth Virtual Murdoch (2001). Mainly about Rupert Murdoch
- Paul BarryPaul BarryPaul Barry is a British-born, Australian-based journalist, who has won many awards for his investigative reporting. He now works as a senior writer for online media outlet The Power Index.-Career:...
, Rich Kids, Bantam Books, 2002, ISBN 1-86325-338-6 - Kirkpatrick, David, "Murdoch Gets a Jewel. Who'll Get His Crown?" New York Times, 28 December 2003.
- Milliken, Robert, "Lachlan Murdoch; Heir to the Sun and Sky," The Independent (London), 7 May 1995.
- Pappu, Sridhar, "Lachlan Murdoch, Spiky Punk Heir Right for Post?" New York ObserverNew York ObserverThe New York Observer is a weekly newspaper first published in New York City on September 22, 1987, by Arthur L. Carter, a very successful former investment banker with publishing interests. The Observer focuses on the city's culture, real estate, the media, politics and the entertainment and...
, 24 November 2003. - Salamon, Julie, "Television: An American Story; A Family That Tried to Be Both Rich and Good," New York Times, 1 October 2000.
- Neil Chenoweth, The Australian Financial ReviewThe Australian Financial ReviewThe Australian Financial Review is a leading business and finance newspaper in Australia.Fairfax Media publishes it in a compact format six days a week, Monday to Saturday....
, 5 August 2005, on Lachlan's involvement in Australian Super League shenanigans.
External links
- Detailed profile of Lachlan, Joe Strupp, Editor & PublisherEditor & PublisherEditor & Publisher is a monthly magazine covering the North American newspaper industry. It is based in New York City. E&P calls itself "America's Oldest Journal Covering the Newspaper Industry" and describes itself on its website as "the authoritative journal covering all aspects of the North...
Journal, 16 December 2002 - http://investor.newscorp.com/secfiling.cfm?filingID=1181431-09-55595 SEC filing, listed on News CorporationNews CorporationNews Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
website pertaining to sale of shares by Lachlan between 7 and 8 December 2009
Decision to leave News Corporation
- Detailed article from the New York Magazine (19 September 2005 by Steve Fishman) reportedly written with Lachlan's co-operation.
- Melbourne Age article
- Guardian article (1 August 2005)
- USA Today article