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Rupert Murdoch: Lady Thatcher was an inspiration Rupert Murdoch: Lady Thatcher was an inspiration
(6 months later)
Rupert Murdoch has paid personal tribute to Lady Thatcher, saying that she was responsible for many of his "defining moments as a businessman", including the destruction of the unions in his newspaper empire and the creation of Sky TV.Rupert Murdoch has paid personal tribute to Lady Thatcher, saying that she was responsible for many of his "defining moments as a businessman", including the destruction of the unions in his newspaper empire and the creation of Sky TV.
His eulogy in Wednesday's Times is no surprise as the media baron and Thatcher have long been deemed ideological soulmates who together were determined to bust Britain's unions, starting with an emblematic battle with print unions at his newspapers in 1986.His eulogy in Wednesday's Times is no surprise as the media baron and Thatcher have long been deemed ideological soulmates who together were determined to bust Britain's unions, starting with an emblematic battle with print unions at his newspapers in 1986.
"I found her attitude an inspiration to my business life – and never more so than when faced with the recalcitrance of the print unions in the 1980s," he wrote."I found her attitude an inspiration to my business life – and never more so than when faced with the recalcitrance of the print unions in the 1980s," he wrote.
"At that time I would regularly be summoned to meetings of the Newspaper Publishers Association to deal with the unions' latest demands. Everyone would sit around the table and agree to stand firm and by the time they'd got back to their desks, they had given in. It was hopeless," he added."At that time I would regularly be summoned to meetings of the Newspaper Publishers Association to deal with the unions' latest demands. Everyone would sit around the table and agree to stand firm and by the time they'd got back to their desks, they had given in. It was hopeless," he added.
He described Thatcher as "undoubtedly one of the most important figures of the 20th century" who cemented the "rehabilitation" of a "dependency state" created after world war two.He described Thatcher as "undoubtedly one of the most important figures of the 20th century" who cemented the "rehabilitation" of a "dependency state" created after world war two.
"She ended a culture of crippling strikes, she encouraged entrepreneurs to come here and set up their businesses," he added. "Thanks to her I have experienced in Britain many of my defining moments as a businessman.""She ended a culture of crippling strikes, she encouraged entrepreneurs to come here and set up their businesses," he added. "Thanks to her I have experienced in Britain many of my defining moments as a businessman."
In his comment piece, Murdoch recalled the 1986 unrest when he moved his newspapers from Gray's Inn Road in London out to the relative wasteland of Wapping.In his comment piece, Murdoch recalled the 1986 unrest when he moved his newspapers from Gray's Inn Road in London out to the relative wasteland of Wapping.
At the time Wapping was an impoverished area next to former docks but once the unions learned of his plan to move there from central London, and at the same time rip up longstanding agreements, it was turned into a fortress complete with an entire street closed off by barbed wire to enable printing to continue.At the time Wapping was an impoverished area next to former docks but once the unions learned of his plan to move there from central London, and at the same time rip up longstanding agreements, it was turned into a fortress complete with an entire street closed off by barbed wire to enable printing to continue.
The move provoked a violent year-long dispute involving round-the-clock police presence as non-union staff branded "scabs" were bussed into the print plant to get past pickets.The move provoked a violent year-long dispute involving round-the-clock police presence as non-union staff branded "scabs" were bussed into the print plant to get past pickets.
"It was a bloody business, we had hundreds of police officers and horses around the plant at the height of the trouble," Murdoch wrote. "There was barbed wire on the fences. The protesters would stick a dart in the side of a horse, it would rear up and the TV lights would all come on to film the 'police violence'.""It was a bloody business, we had hundreds of police officers and horses around the plant at the height of the trouble," Murdoch wrote. "There was barbed wire on the fences. The protesters would stick a dart in the side of a horse, it would rear up and the TV lights would all come on to film the 'police violence'."
"It was not only a breakthrough for us, but for the whole newspaper industry – once we had won, the others had to change to compete," Murdoch wrote. "Without it, we would not have the vigorous competitive press that is a feature of modern Britain.""It was not only a breakthrough for us, but for the whole newspaper industry – once we had won, the others had to change to compete," Murdoch wrote. "Without it, we would not have the vigorous competitive press that is a feature of modern Britain."
Murdoch said there was a similar situation in the TV industry. He encountered huge resistance when he launched Sky in 1989 and ended up hemorrhaging £10m a week following a bruising battle with the rival ITV-backed British Satellite Broadcasting with which it eventually merged.Murdoch said there was a similar situation in the TV industry. He encountered huge resistance when he launched Sky in 1989 and ended up hemorrhaging £10m a week following a bruising battle with the rival ITV-backed British Satellite Broadcasting with which it eventually merged.
"We took huge risks, which many critics decried as the end of civilisation," said Murdoch, noting that "Mrs Thatcher understood that risk was the vital ingredient in a free society. She chose the line of most resistance.""We took huge risks, which many critics decried as the end of civilisation," said Murdoch, noting that "Mrs Thatcher understood that risk was the vital ingredient in a free society. She chose the line of most resistance."
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