Revealed: Rupert Murdoch's Total Wealth ( Updated) Net Worth 2026: Career Earnings & Assets

As one of the most talked-about figures, Rupert Murdoch has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.

What Is Rupert Murdoch's Net Worth and Salary?

After setting up a new newspaper in Australia called "The Australian," Rupert acquired a number of publications in the United Kingdom, such as "News of the World" and "The Sun," both of which were struggling. Much as he had done in Australia, Murdoch transformed these papers into successful businesses. In 1973, he acquired the "San Antonio Express-News," his first purchase of a US-based paper. A number of acquisitions followed, and he acquired the "New York Post" in 1976.

Keith Rupert Murdoch was born on March 11, 1931, in Melbourne, Australia. When his father died, Rupert was 21 years old. Tasked with taking over the family business, Murdoch then started managing "The News," an Adelaide newspaper that his father had set up. He succeeded in turning the publication into a successful paper in Australia and subsequently went about acquiring other newspapers across the nation.

Rupert Murdoch is an Australian-born media mogul who has a net worth of $19 billion. Rupert Murdoch earned his fortune as the founder of News Corp. Although he was born in Australia, Murdoch became a U.S. citizen in 1985 and soon thereafter renounced his Australian citizenship. Today, Rupert is an extremely influential figure in the United States and around the world, as he owns some of the most notable publishing outlets around the globe. These outlets include Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, Sky News Australia, HarperCollins, and countless others.

Murdoch's career was marked by both innovation and controversy. He pioneered satellite television with BSkyB and shook up the US television landscape with the Fox network. However, he also faced criticism for tabloid journalism practices and political bias in his news outlets. In 2013, Murdoch split his empire into two companies: News Corp (print media) and 21st Century Fox (broadcasting and film). In 2019, he sold most of 21st Century Fox to Disney, marking a significant shift in his holdings.

Beginning with a single newspaper in Adelaide, Australia, inherited from his father in 1952, Murdoch aggressively expanded his holdings through acquisitions and launches across multiple continents. His News Corporation grew to encompass newspapers, magazines, book publishers, film studios, and television networks. Notable assets included "The Times" and "The Sun" in the UK, "The Wall Street Journal" and "New York Post" in the US, and Fox News. Murdoch's influence extended beyond media into politics, with his outlets often accused of shaping public opinion and electoral outcomes.

In 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox for a sum of $71 billion. At this point, Rupert had a 17% stake in Fox, and when the dust settled, he was left with about $12 billion in Disney stock. His children also made a killing off the deal. An additional $10 billion from the sale was distributed to Rupert's six kids.

Rupert's real acquisition spree took place during the '80s. In 1984, Murdoch bought Marc Rich's interest in 20th Century Fox fromMarvin Davisfor $250 million. Rich had to sell due to the trade deals he'd made with Iran, which were sanctioned by the United States at the time. Murdoch then purchased all of the independent television stations owned byJohn Kluge, who was the richest man in the world in 1990.

Those six stations formed the backbone of Rupert's new venture: Fox Broadcasting Company Founded in 1986, Fox quickly became one of the nation's biggest and influential media companies. In addition, Rupert bought out Davis' stake in Fox for an additional $326 million.

In summary, the total wealth of Rupert Murdoch reflects strategic moves.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.