“Rupert Murdoch: The Making of a Modern Media Mogul”

Chairman and CEO of News Corporation Joins Marvin Kalb to Discuss Headlines and Bottom Lines in February 9 Edition of “The Kalb Report,” 8 p.m., The National Press Club

A live Webcast of this forum will be available at http://kalb.gwu.edu. 

WASHINGTON – Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO of News Corporation, joins legendary journalist Marvin Kalb to share his unique perspectives on the future of journalism and the media in the next edition of “The Kalb Report,” Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010, at 8 p.m. in the main ballroom of the National Press Club (529 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C., 20045).

“There are few people in America who exercise so powerful an influence over what we see, what we hear, what we know about our world as Rupert Murdoch,” said Mr. Kalb. “I cannot wait to sit down and talk to this media mogul about the crisis in contemporary journalism and to hear his views about what can be done to fix it. What a wonderful opportunity!”

From print to television to the silver screen, Rupert Murdoch’s ever-growing media empire seemingly knows no bounds. As the founder, chairman, and chief executive of News Corporation, Mr. Murdoch’s reign began with the acquisition of local newspapers in his native Australia. Utilizing the tabloid technique that he later made the signature style of “The New York Post,” these newspapers thrived under the leadership of Mr. Murdoch and quickly established him as one of the most powerful businessmen in Australia. He then expanded beyond Australia, adding the U.S., UK and Asia to his media portfolio. Starting with his first American acquisition in 1973, the “San Antonio Express-News,” Mr. Murdoch swiftly duplicated and exceeded his Australian success in the United States. Noteworthy acquisitions and launches included “The New York Post,” 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, the Fox Broadcasting Company, the Fox News Channel, Dow Jones & Company and the popular social networking site, MySpace.

“In this age of global communication, Rupert Murdoch transcends all generational and geographic boundaries,” said Michael Freedman, executive producer of “The Kalb Report.” “As we prepare our students for leadership roles in journalism and media, this forum offers an exceptional opportunity for them to hear from the industry’s biggest stakeholder up close and personal.”

“The Kalb Report” is produced by The George Washington University’s Global Media Institute, Harvard’s Joan Shorenstein Center and the National Press Club. For the seventh consecutive season, the series is underwritten by a grant from Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation. Since its debut in 1994, the partnership has produced 66 “Kalb Report” forums on issues at the intersection of press, politics and public policy. Guests have included Walter Cronkite, Christiane Amanpour, Roger Ailes, Ken Burns, Thomas Friedman, Bill O’Reilly, Hillary Clinton, Katie Couric and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel. The series is distributed by Oklahoma Educational Television Authority and American Public Television, and has been seen on more than 200 local public television stations across the country with additional airings on New England Cable News. The series also airs nationally on Sirius-XM Satellite Radio and locally in Washington, D.C., on Federal News Radio (1500-AM). All forums offer open media coverage.

Moderator Marvin Kalb is a James Clark Welling Presidential Fellow at The George Washington University and Edward R. Murrow Professor Emeritus at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He is also a contributing news analyst for Fox News Channel and National Public Radio. Over the course of his distinguished 30-year career in broadcast journalism, Mr. Kalb served as chief diplomatic correspondent for CBS News and NBC News, and moderator of “Meet the Press.” He went on to serve as the founding director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard. Among his many honors are two Peabody Awards, the DuPont Prize from Columbia University, the 2006 Fourth Estate Award from the National Press Club and more than a half-dozen Overseas Press Club awards.

Executive Producer Michael Freedman is a professor in The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs and executive director of the University’s Global Media Institute. A 30-year broadcast journalist, network executive, university administrator and professor, Mr. Freedman served as general manager of CBS Radio Network News, managing editor for the broadcast division of United Press International, and vice president for communications at The George Washington University. Mr. Freedman is the recipient of more than 85 honors for journalistic excellence including 14 Radio-Television News Directors Association Edward R. Murrow Awards. Most recently, the GW’s Global Media Institute was honored with a 2009 Gold World Medal in the New York Festivals International Radio Awards competition for its centennial tribute to Edward R. Murrow.

Producer Heather Date serves as associate director of GW’s Global Media Institute. Ms. Date is a former CNN producer and a graduate of The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.

“The Kalb Report” series is directed by Robert Vitarelli, a 39-year CBS News veteran and a Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

The George Washington University’s Global Media Institute, affiliated with GW's School of Media and Public Affairs and The Graduate School of Political Management, is a leader in the public dialogue on the transformation of journalism and media in the 21st Century. The Institute also produces the weekly network radio programs “This Just In!”, in partnership with the Newseum, and “GW Presents American Jazz” in partnership with Tony Bennett’s Exploring the Arts Foundation.

A live Webcast of this forum will be available at http://kalb.gwu.edu.