Mr. Rupert Murdoch, and how I got to know him.
In the early 1970s I worked at the Willow Garden Restaurant, Wentworth Hotel***** in Sydney. The restaurant was high fashion at the time, with visiting customers of the Jet-Set category. The Maître d’hôtel, called me one day and told me that he had to seat a very important guest at one of my tables. I replied that it was no problem, I would take good care of him.
The Maître d’hôtel, Mr Small, comes with Mr. Rubert Murdoch, as well as introducing me to him. I regarded this guest as well dressed and with a powerful expression on his face. Respectfully without cringing, I asked if he wanted to order something as an appetizer.
He then narrows his eyes as he looks up at me and asks where in the world I came from. Sweden, I answered quickly without breaking eye contact with him. Suddenly he stands up and holds out his hand to greet, at the same time saying that in Sweden there are many good people, and he knew the Director of Expressen/Dagens Nyheter the largest newspaper company in the country.
What a coincidence, I said, and told them that I knew the production manager there, a family member of mine.
That day I found out who he really was.
In 1954, he began to control as editor y miembro de la junta directiva de News Limited in Australia. Later as owner of the entire company and ended up founding Southern Television Corporation, where he promoted his newly licensed Channel 9 to be the first to be broadcast in 1959 in South Australia.
He also told me, that earlier in 1969 he bought the evening newspaper, The SUN, that made him the most powerful person within the Australian news industry.
Despite all that he told me about his company, to me he was a normal and nice man, with whom I had good personal contact.
After that day, he always asked to sit at my table at Willow Garden.
Later in 1976, Rupert Murdoch expanded his company and decided to cross the pond and buy the New York Post newspaper, betting on sensationalist information. Although in 2007 he did the same with one of the most important economic newspapers, The Wall Street Journal.
In the United States, he ended up founding Fox News!
The news today is; Rupert Murdoch steps down from the boards of Fox and News Corporation!
Up to his current age of 92, he has run his entire consortium as sole decision maker, which he is now handing over to his son Lachlan Murdoch.
I have followed his success all these years and can only admire his way of working.
A strange person who is ordinary inside.
Thank you for reading my personal blog,
#Windmush / #Curtbergsten