Monday, November 28, 2011

Singing to order

Will Charlotte Church's revelations about Rupert Murdoch's trading methods have an impact on his hold on his empire of investments ?  They should do.

In 1999 News Corporation made operating profits of $3.2billion, and had assets of $53 billion. Rupert's personal fortune was estimated at $7 billion.

And yet somehow it rings true that Rupert might try to get something for nothing; Charlotte says she was asked, aged 13, to sing at his 1999 wedding to Wendi Deng, on the Murdoch yacht in New York harbour, in front of 81 guests - the fee proffered was either £100k or "favourable coverage".  Charlotte's management advised her to take the latter - and she sang Pie Jesu.  News International deny that there was such a deal.

How many deals for "favourable coverage" with celebrities were struck by News International, trading unpleasant stories for regular exclusives, since 1999 ?

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