This is Viewpoints Explained…
For decades, billionaire Rupert Murdoch swayed public opinion through his vast media empire. Now at 94 years old, he’s announced he’s handing over the reigns to his eldest son, Lachlan.
The family is worth around twenty-four billion dollars and oversees fox news, The New York Post, The Wall Street Journal and several other media entities around the world. But go back to the 1950’s and this monolith was almost nonexistent. It all started with a small newspaper in Australia that Rupert Murdoch inherited from his father. He quickly made a name for himself as a bold risk-taker, and by the 1960’s was buying up small Australian papers and tabloids, using eye-catching headlines and sensational stories to increase readership. Little by little he expanded abroad with the purchase of U.K. Print tabloids and then outlets in the U.S. Each move built on the last, creating a cross-continental network that gave him unmatched political influence and financial leverage.
Today, as many media companies struggle to stay afloat, fox corporation has been able to set itself apart and stay profitable. In the last fiscal year, it reported a record-high revenue of more than sixteen billion dollars.
So – what’s next under this new leadership? Print tabloids, which were the core of the company, are now losing money. Growth is mainly coming from sports broadcasting, subscriptions, and streaming. Analysts expect the new CEO Lachlan Murdoch to focus on those areas and cut back on weaker outlets. Politically, though, little is expected to change at Fox News or The New York Post.
Only time will tell if Lachlan has the vision and leadership to ensure the long-term stability of this massive media network.
On the upside, some states are taking a proactive approach to teaching reading in order to turn things around. Research shows that teaching letters and sounds in precise, logical sequences at an early age like kindergarten and first grade can help boost spelling, fluency and understanding. For example, in Mississippi, schools are doing exactly this while also investing in extra teacher training and early intervention help for kids who seem to be struggling. The state, which used to rank near the bottom in reading scores, has now climbed to the top of early reading performance.
At the end of the day, falling behind in reading limits a student’s academic path and their success after high school. It also closes the door on an entirely different creative experience. Reading is an active way to step into other people’s perspectives and lifetimes. It helps us learn new things and stay curious about the world. Without it, these things vanish and we’re reliant on the passive role of watching screen after screen.
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