The success of his London-based newspapers helped finance his 1981 purchase of The Times and Sunday Times, both prestigious broadsheets, in an acquisition that met with intense opposition from parts of Britain’s establishment.
He relocated to the United States where more bold acquisitions followed and where he became a naturalized US citizen in 1985.
The conglomerate made a string of high-profile acquisitions, including the Fox broadcast and Hollywood studios, and the Wall Street Journal.
His youngest son James, 40, is believed to be the heir apparent to the media-entertainment empire.
James oversaw the closure of the 168-year-old News of The World tabloid, which folded on July 9 after the revelation the tabloid hacked into the phones of murdered teenager Milly Dowler and the families of dead soldiers.
James was named News Corp’s deputy chief operating officer in March 2011 and serves as chief executive of the news and entertainment giant’s international operations.
In 1998, Murdoch and his second wife, Anna, separated after 32 years of marriage. She then filed for divorce in California courts.
The three Murdoch children from his second marriage – Elizabeth, Lachlan and James – have worked for the family empire or served on the board of directors.
Murdoch previously was married to Patricia Booker, an Australian flight attendant, with whom he had one daughter.
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