Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #384564 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 592 pages

Synopsis
Rupert Murdoch is one of the most powerful men in the world today. As chief executive of News Corporation, he controls a global media empire which boasts some of the major players in newspapers, television, publishing and the movie business. In the English-speaking world, and increasingly in 'untapped' but potentially lucrative markets such as China, he wields an influence as political kingmaker second to none. How did he do it? How did this empire, a loose 'archipelago' of media islands large and small, come to be so successful and influential? Building on many years' research and featuring many previously undisclosed revelations, THE MURDOCH ARCHIPELAGO is the most definitive survey yet of Murdoch's life and times; how power flows from influence; and whether this should (or if it can) be regulated.

Customer Reviews

A truth for our time
Bruce Page's The Murdoch Archipelago is a stunner! A clear mind and a sharp moral sense are at work here to lay bare the career of a scoundrel - and what his kind of success shows us about our time and ourselves. Page tells a complex story with verve and style. He first lets us see how the Murdoch enterprise works - but then, why it works: why politicians yield to him, and precisely what his capacity is to traffic with power while pretending to rebel against it. Yet this is more than the story of one man. The important point, says Page, "is that Murdoch's operation may well be the general model of media empires which live in corporatist bliss with slowly degrading national governments." Buy it, read it and learn from this tale for our times.

could have been brilliant
Bruce Page has done some stunning research into the myths surrounding the Murdoch clan, and has also shown us how un-ethical and biased his 'news' operations are. Everyone should read this book, especially if you think that what you read in the Sun and the Times and watch on Sky or Fox is anywhere near the truth.

However, Page really has made a bit of a hash of delivery. I find it hard to believe he was/is a journalist; some of his sentences are so convoluted that they are completely un-intelligible. In places, I hoped that the book was badly edited, as sentences seemed to be missing words which could have helped them make sense.

This should (and could) have been a spectacular read on a dangerous subject, that everyone should read. Instead, the reader is left struggling to wade through a wonderfully researched, badly written and edited tome.

Murdoch Archipelago
This is the most boring book I have read in years. I found myself being lost in keeping track of what was being discussed as the author attempts to give such a detailed background to a situation that you end up asking yourself 'where am I'.
I would not recommend this book to anyone except to those who like to get lost in studying deeply the background as opposed to what has actully happened.