Keith Murdoch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Keith Murdoch
Born	Keith Arthur Murdoch (1885-08-12)12 August 1885 Melbourne, Colony of Victoria, Australia
Died	4 October 1952(1952-10-04) (aged 67) Langwarrin, Victoria, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Journalist
Spouse(s)	Elisabeth Greene ​ (m. 1928⁠–⁠1952)​
Children	4, including Rupert Murdoch
Parent(s)	Patrick John Murdoch Annie Brown
Relatives	Prudence Murdoch (granddaughter) Elisabeth Murdoch (granddaughter) Lachlan Murdoch (grandson) James Murdoch (grandson) Ivon Murdoch (brother) Walter Murdoch (uncle) Catherine King (cousin)

Sir Keith Arthur Murdoch (born August 12, 1885 – died October 4, 1952) was an important Australian journalist and newspaper owner. He is known for starting the Murdoch media empire. After he passed away, his son Rupert grew this empire into a global business.

Keith Murdoch was born in Melbourne, Australia. He started his career in journalism in 1903. In 1915, he moved to England and became a famous war correspondent during World War I. His reports about the Gallipoli Campaign caught the attention of powerful people in Britain.

Later, Murdoch returned to Melbourne in 1921. He became the chief editor of The Herald newspaper. He helped the company grow a lot, buying many newspapers and radio stations across Australia. He also helped create the Australian Associated Press (AAP) in 1935. During World War II, he briefly worked for the Australian government.

Outside of his work, Murdoch loved art. He was the chairman of the National Gallery of Victoria. He had four children with his wife, Elisabeth, who was well-known for her charity work. He retired in 1949 and died in 1952. His investments in The News newspaper became the start of his son Rupert's huge global media company.

Early Life and First Steps in Journalism

Keith Murdoch was born in Melbourne in 1885. His father, Patrick John Murdoch, was a minister who had moved from Scotland to Australia. His family moved to Camberwell when he was young.

He went to Camberwell Grammar School and was a top student in 1903. Even though he was very shy, he decided to become a journalist. A family friend helped him get a job at The Age newspaper. He did so well that he increased the newspaper's sales in his area.

He saved money to travel to England in 1908. He wanted to learn more about journalism there. He also worked on improving his speech.

Growing His Career

From 1908 to 1909, Keith Murdoch lived in London. He studied part-time and looked for journalism jobs. He returned to Australia in 1909 and became a reporter for The Age covering politics. He built good relationships with politicians.

In 1912, he became a political reporter for The Sun in Sydney.

Reporting from World War I

In 1915, Murdoch became the managing editor for a news service in London. This service sent news from overseas back to Australia. He traveled to New Zealand with the Australian Prime Minister, Andrew Fisher, to cover war discussions.

He then went to Egypt and got permission to visit Australian troops in Gallipoli, Turkey. He wanted to write about what he saw there. He visited Anzac Cove in September. He met other journalists who were worried that military leaders were hiding the truth about the difficult situation in Gallipoli.

Murdoch agreed to carry a secret letter from another journalist to the British Prime Minister. This letter described the problems at Gallipoli. On his way to London, Murdoch was arrested in France, and the letter was taken. However, he had already sent copies to Australia and to important British politicians.

His reports, along with others, helped show the truth about the Gallipoli campaign. This led to changes in military leadership and the safe evacuation of troops. Murdoch became friends with Lord Northcliffe, a powerful newspaper owner in London.

In 1917, Murdoch visited the Western Front. He tried to help the Australian government bring all Australian troops together into one group. He also tried to influence who would lead these troops. Despite his efforts, John Monash was chosen to lead the Australian Corps, and he proved to be an excellent commander.

Leading the Melbourne Herald

Murdoch stayed in London for a while, writing important articles. In January 1921, he was offered the job of chief editor at the Melbourne Herald. He used ideas from Lord Northcliffe to make the Herald more popular. He focused on political news and improved coverage of arts and celebrities.

When another newspaper tried to compete in Melbourne, Murdoch fought back. His newspaper's sales went up, and he eventually took over the rival paper. He became known as "Lord Southcliffe" because of his growing influence. In 1928, he became the managing director of the company.

In 1927, he saw a photo of a young woman named Elisabeth Joy Greene. They married in June 1928. They had four children: Helen, Rupert Murdoch, Anne, and Janet.

From 1926, he worked to buy newspapers in other parts of Australia. In Adelaide, his company bought and then closed a rival newspaper, creating a local monopoly. He also invested in newspapers in Brisbane. By 1935, his company was involved with eleven radio stations. He also helped create the Australian Associated Press (AAP) in 1935.

Later Years and Legacy

In the 1930s, Murdoch's newspapers supported Joseph Lyons in his successful campaign to become Prime Minister. Keith Murdoch was knighted in July 1933, becoming "Sir Keith Murdoch." He was also a big fan of art and became a trustee for museums and galleries in Victoria.

During World War II, he briefly worked for the Australian government as Director-General of Information. He tried to make all news media publish government statements. However, this caused problems, and he had to resign.

After returning to his newspapers, he encouraged patriotism during the war. In 1942, he became chairman of the Herald group. He continued his connection with the art world, setting up a special art program at the University of Melbourne in 1944.

Sir Keith Murdoch became ill with cancer and retired from most of his work in 1949. He passed away at his family home on October 4, 1952. Although much of his money went to pay off debts, his family kept control of News Limited. This company, which owned the Adelaide News, became the foundation for his son Rupert's huge global media empire.

See also

• The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd
• The Herald (Melbourne)
• The Sun News-Pictorial

Principal sources

General

• Australian Dictionary of Biography Murdoch, Sir Keith Arthur (1885–1952) published by Australian National University, ISSN 1833-7538
• Tom D C Roberts Before Rupert: Keith Murdoch and the Birth of a Dynasty University of Queensland Press, 2015, ISBN: 9780702253782

Early life and First World War

• Patriots Three ABC Australia documentary script
• Perry, Roland (2004). Monash: The Outsider who Won A War. Random House. ISBN 1-74051-364-9.