The founder of a world-wide media network, Keith Murdoch (1886 - 1952) was born in Camberwell, Victoria. His career in journalism began in 1903 as a freelance district reporter on the Melbourne Age. He spent a period in England, during which time he entered the London School of Economics, and in 1912 became the Melbourne correspondent for the Sydney Sun. In 1915 he was sent to manage the London bureau of the United Cable Service. In 1920 he returned to Australia ans soon after was appointed editor-in-chief of the Melbourne Herald. Under his guidance the Herald became the foremost Victorian newspaper of the period, and in 1925 he supervised the takeover of the rival Sun News-Pictorial.
Murdoch joined the board of the News, Adelaide, in 1931, became principal proprietor of the Brisbane Courier-Mail in 1933, and was knighted in the same year. He acquired a majority interest in the News in 1949.