Rupert Murdoch is almost certainly the most globally influential Australian.

That Australia has one of the most concentrated media markets in the world is, sadly, a reflection of his influence, even though he has relinquished citizenship to become a dominant media figure in the United States.

There are already a number of books about him, including biographies by journalists Michael Wolff and William Shawcross.

The bitter family dispute, played out in the courts three years ago, about who would control Murdoch’s media companies after his death, could have been scripted by the writers of the successful television series Succession.

Andrew Dodd and Matthew Ricketson have not written another biography of Murdoch, but rather a forensic account of how the Murdoch empire bullies, intimidates and destroys individual citizens and governments. Both writers, now professors of journalism, have worked across the media, including for Murdoch’s local flagship, The Australian.

Their book, Getting Murdoched, straddles the three countries where the Murdoch empire is a major player: Australia, Britain and the US. There are some differences in these three operations, often because of the different rules under which the media operates, but a consistent pattern emerges of a ruthless drive for stories that feed Murdoch’s political aims and prejudices.

A quick glance through the index reveals the extent of Murdoch’s victims, from Prince Harry and Hugh Grant to a range of people who were unknown until the Murdoch press targeted them.

Only in Britain has Murdoch has experienced significant restriction, following revelations about the phone hacking engaged in by News of the World, which led to the closure of the paper and embarrassing appearances by Murdoch and his son James before a parliamentary committee.

More recently, The Sun has been forced to apologise and pay damages to Prince Harry for similar practices. Murdoch was also denied ownership of British satellite broadcaster Sky TV, which he had long sought to buy.

Because there are some significant differences between the story in the three countries, the book tends to jump across oceans in ways that are at times........

© The New Daily