For decades, Rupert Murdoch sat at the helm of the Fox Corporation and News Corporation, two media companies with outlets that include the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and Fox News.

He stepped down as chairman of both organizations in November but still serves in the capacity of chairman emeritus.

Murdoch's business began in the 1950s with one local newspaper in Australia. It's now a massive multimedia empire that spans the globe and includes TV, online, film and print interests.

Murdoch, 93, owns hundreds of publishing outlets across the world and is one of the richest and most powerful people in the world. His hunger for the latest scoops — and his willingness to pay for them — have ensured massive sales figures. But they have also caused controversy over the years, including the UK phone scandal of 2011.

"Murdoch is the most ruthless businessman in world history," said Roger Stone, political strategist and ally of former US President Donald Trump.

Murdoch has been married five times, and he has fathered six children. His penchant for pitting his children against each other to see who will succeed him as head of News Corp. is widely believed to be the inspiration for the popular HBO series "Succession."

"I just want them to be happy. I hope to be able to leave them a great opportunity like my father left me," Murdoch said.

Murdoch holds a copy of the Sydney tabloid the Daily Mirror in 1960. He bought the newspaper that year. Murdoch was just 22 years old when he inherited the newspaper publishing company owned by his father, Keith. "I was raised in a newspaper family by a father who believed that the newspaper was among the most important instruments of human freedom," Murdoch said in 2008.
Murdoch holds a copy of the Sydney tabloid the Daily Mirror in 1960. He bought the newspaper that year. Murdoch was just 22 years old when he inherited the newspaper publishing company owned by his father, Keith. "I was raised in a newspaper family by a father who believed that the newspaper was among the most important instruments of human freedom," Murdoch said in 2008.
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US President John F. Kennedy, center, meets with Murdoch, right, and newspaper editor Zell Rabin in 1961.
US President John F. Kennedy, center, meets with Murdoch, right, and newspaper editor Zell Rabin in 1961.
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Murdoch, right, walks in London with British banker and businessman Stephen Catto in 1968.
Murdoch, right, walks in London with British banker and businessman Stephen Catto in 1968.
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Murdoch attends a shareholders meeting for the London newspaper News of the World in 1969. He gained control of the paper as well as The Sun, which he transformed into a tabloid.
Murdoch attends a shareholders meeting for the London newspaper News of the World in 1969. He gained control of the paper as well as The Sun, which he transformed into a tabloid.
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Murdoch and his second wife, Anna, watch their 14-month old daughter, Elisabeth, at their home in London in 1969. The couple had three children together and divorced in 1999. Murdoch also had a daughter from his first marriage to Patricia Booker.
Murdoch and his second wife, Anna, watch their 14-month old daughter, Elisabeth, at their home in London in 1969. The couple had three children together and divorced in 1999. Murdoch also had a daughter from his first marriage to Patricia Booker.
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In the 1970s, Murdoch expanded to the United States. He purchased the San Antonio Express and the San Antonio News in 1973, started the National Star in 1974 and bought the New York Post in 1976.
In the 1970s, Murdoch expanded to the United States. He purchased the San Antonio Express and the San Antonio News in 1973, started the National Star in 1974 and bought the New York Post in 1976.
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Murdoch holds up a copy of the New York Post in 1978. The afternoon daily was back on the street after a 57-day strike.
Murdoch holds up a copy of the New York Post in 1978. The afternoon daily was back on the street after a 57-day strike.
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Murdoch continued to expand his newspaper empire in the early 1980s, acquiring The Times of London, the Boston Herald and the Chicago Sun-Times.
Murdoch continued to expand his newspaper empire in the early 1980s, acquiring The Times of London, the Boston Herald and the Chicago Sun-Times.
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Murdoch, left, is seen with Queen Elizabeth II in 1985 as she toured the Times newspaper building to mark the paper's bicentenary.
Murdoch, left, is seen with Queen Elizabeth II in 1985 as she toured the Times newspaper building to mark the paper's bicentenary.
PA Wire/AP
Murdoch poses in front of newspapers and magazines at the New York Post offices in 1985. That year Murdoch became a naturalized US citizen, and he purchased Twentieth Century Fox for $600 million. In 1986, he bought several US television stations and created Fox Broadcasting.
Murdoch poses in front of newspapers and magazines at the New York Post offices in 1985. That year Murdoch became a naturalized US citizen, and he purchased Twentieth Century Fox for $600 million. In 1986, he bought several US television stations and created Fox Broadcasting.
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Murdoch is joined by his wife, Anna, and their sons — Lachlan, left, and James — as they attend the movie premiere of "Broadcast News" in 1987.
Murdoch is joined by his wife, Anna, and their sons — Lachlan, left, and James — as they attend the movie premiere of "Broadcast News" in 1987.
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Murdoch presents former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with a humanitarian award on behalf of the United Cerebral Palsy of New York in 1991.
Murdoch presents former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with a humanitarian award on behalf of the United Cerebral Palsy of New York in 1991.
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Murdoch is followed by reporters as he arrives for a hearing of the Federal Communications Commission in 1995. The FCC ruled 5-0 that Murdoch's Fox Network did not deliberately conceal information about its ownership structure a decade earlier. The decision permitted Murdoch to keep all eight television station licenses he held at the time.
Murdoch is followed by reporters as he arrives for a hearing of the Federal Communications Commission in 1995. The FCC ruled 5-0 that Murdoch's Fox Network did not deliberately conceal information about its ownership structure a decade earlier. The decision permitted Murdoch to keep all eight television station licenses he held at the time.
Kathleen Beall/AP
Murdoch shakes hands with Roger Ailes after naming Ailes the head of the new Fox News Channel in 1996.
Murdoch shakes hands with Roger Ailes after naming Ailes the head of the new Fox News Channel in 1996.
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Murdoch, center, poses from the owners box at Dodger Stadium in 1998. From 1998 to 2004, Murdoch owned the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Murdoch, center, poses from the owners box at Dodger Stadium in 1998. From 1998 to 2004, Murdoch owned the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
STR New/Reuters
Murdoch, right, and Stuart Horney are joined by "Star Wars" characters R2D2 and C3PO as they officially open Fox Studios Australia in 1999.
Murdoch, right, and Stuart Horney are joined by "Star Wars" characters R2D2 and C3PO as they officially open Fox Studios Australia in 1999.
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Murdoch walks alongside his mother, Elisabeth, at the opening of a new newspaper office building in Adelaide, Australia, in 2005. The building was named after his father, Keith. Murdoch's mother was a beloved philanthropist in Australia who devoted her life to charities. She died in 2012.
Murdoch walks alongside his mother, Elisabeth, at the opening of a new newspaper office building in Adelaide, Australia, in 2005. The building was named after his father, Keith. Murdoch's mother was a beloved philanthropist in Australia who devoted her life to charities. She died in 2012.
Bryan Charlton/AP
Murdoch is photographed in his News Corp. office in London in June 2007. That year, he purchased Dow Jones, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal.
Murdoch is photographed in his News Corp. office in London in June 2007. That year, he purchased Dow Jones, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal.
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Murdoch addresses the Wall Street Journal newsroom in New York in December 2007.
Murdoch addresses the Wall Street Journal newsroom in New York in December 2007.
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Murdoch and his third wife, Wendi Deng, arrive for a media conference in Idaho in 2008. They were married from 1999 to 2013 and had two daughters together.
Murdoch and his third wife, Wendi Deng, arrive for a media conference in Idaho in 2008. They were married from 1999 to 2013 and had two daughters together.
Douglas C. Pizac/AP
Murdoch attends a horse racing festival with journalist Rebekah Brooks in 2010. From 2000-2003, Brooks was editor of Murdoch's News of the World, one of the oldest and best-selling newspapers in Britain. A phone-hacking scandal, however, <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2011%2FWORLD%2Feurope%2F07%2F07%2Fuk.phonehacking%2Findex.html" target="_blank">forced Murdoch to close the tabloid</a> that was his pride and joy. Brooks was eventually <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2014%2F06%2F24%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Fuk-phone-hacking%2Findex.html" target="_blank">cleared of all charges</a> related to the case.
Murdoch attends a horse racing festival with journalist Rebekah Brooks in 2010. From 2000-2003, Brooks was editor of Murdoch's News of the World, one of the oldest and best-selling newspapers in Britain. A phone-hacking scandal, however, forced Murdoch to close the tabloid that was his pride and joy. Brooks was eventually cleared of all charges related to the case.
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Murdoch and his son James testify before the UK Parliament in 2011. Murdoch defended News Corp.'s reputation over the phone-hacking scandal at his News of the World tabloid and told them it was "the most humble day of my life."
Murdoch and his son James testify before the UK Parliament in 2011. Murdoch defended News Corp.'s reputation over the phone-hacking scandal at his News of the World tabloid and told them it was "the most humble day of my life."
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Murdoch and his wife, Wendi, are photographed in a car in London in 2012. He had just testified before an independent British committee looking into journalistic ethics. He insisted that he knew little about the scale of phone hacking by people working for the News of the World.
Murdoch and his wife, Wendi, are photographed in a car in London in 2012. He had just testified before an independent British committee looking into journalistic ethics. He insisted that he knew little about the scale of phone hacking by people working for the News of the World.
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Murdoch attends a 2013 event in Sydney hosted by the Lowy Institute for International Policy.
Murdoch attends a 2013 event in Sydney hosted by the Lowy Institute for International Policy.
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In 2016, Murdoch married former model Jerry Hall in London. They divorced in 2022.
In 2016, Murdoch married former model Jerry Hall in London. They divorced in 2022.
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Murdoch embraces US President Donald Trump at an event in New York in 2017.
Murdoch embraces US President Donald Trump at an event in New York in 2017.
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Murdoch poses with Disney CEO Bob Iger in London. In 2017, it was announced that Disney had agreed to purchase most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion.
Murdoch poses with Disney CEO Bob Iger in London. In 2017, it was announced that Disney had agreed to purchase most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion.
The Walt Disney Company
Murdoch pauses while introducing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the Herman Kahn Award Gala in New York in 2019.
Murdoch pauses while introducing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the Herman Kahn Award Gala in New York in 2019.
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Murdoch and his fifth wife, Elena Zhukova, pose for a photo during their <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F02%2Fmedia%2Frupert-murdoch-elena-zhukova-wife%2Findex.html" target="_blank">wedding ceremony</a> in Los Angeles in June 2024.
Murdoch and his fifth wife, Elena Zhukova, pose for a photo during their wedding ceremony in Los Angeles in June 2024.
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