Salaries paid to the Murdoch men over past 21 years

February 8, 2020

This list tracks the salaries and bonuses paid to Murdoch men by public company shareholders over the past 21 years, as was explained in this recent Crikey story on Murdoch pay.

All up, we have counted $US943.7 million in payments over 21 years but this doesn't include James Murdoch's salary as CEO of BSkyB from 2004 until 2007 and any payments to James Murdoch in 2018-19.

Last three years: $US321.67 million
Last five years: $US462m
10 years from 2009-10 until 2018-19: plus $US235.9m to make $US697.86m15 years from 2004-05: plus $US168.2m to make $US866m
20 years from 1999-2000: plus $US84m to make $US950.1m

99-00-03-04: $US84m
04-05-08-09: $US168.2m
09-10-13-14: $US235.9m
14-15-18-19: $US462m

With the dollar at US66.73c on Saturday, that makes $1045 million over the past 10 years and $1423.8m over the past 20 years.

2018-19


Fox Corp: Total $US82.2 million (see p35 of the proxy statement)

Rupert Murdoch: $US42.1m
Lachlan Murdoch: $US42.1m
James Murdoch: not disclosed

News Corp: Total $US5.7m (see p21 of proxy statement)

Rupert Murdoch: $US5.03 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US400,000
James Murdoch: $US270,000

Total both companies: $US87.8 million

2017-18

21st Century Fox: Total $US150.14 million (see p52 of proxy statement)

Rupert Murdoch: $US49.23 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US50.67 million
James Murdoch: $US50.26 million

News Corp: Total $US6.32m
Rupert Murdoch: $US5.74 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US331k
James Murdoch: $US248k

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non executive chairman: $US440,000 (see p59 of annual report)

Total across 3 companies: $US156.9 million

2016-17

21st Century Fox: Total $US70.26m (
see p52 of proxy statement)

Rupert Murdoch: $US29.3 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US20.6 million
James Murdoch: $US20.36 million

News Corp: Total: $US6.274m
Rupert Murdoch: $US5.68 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US384k
James Murdoch: $US210k

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive chair: $US440,000 (see p68 of annual report)

Total across 3 companies: $US76.97 million

2015-16

21st Century Fox: Total $US84.7m (see p52 of proxy statement)

Rupert Murdoch: $US34.6 million
James Murdoch: $US26.4 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US23.7 million

News Corp: Total $US6.615m
Rupert Murdoch: $US5.344 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US989,748
James Murdoch: $US281,250

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive director: $US89,000 (see p62 of annual report)

Total across 3 companies: $US91.41m

2014-15

21st Century Fox: Total $US43.27 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US27.9m
James Murdoch: $US15.05m
Lachlan Murdoch: $US322,000

News Corp: Total $US5.55 million
Rupert Murdoch: $US5.1 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US225,000
James Murdoch: $US225,000

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive director: $US104,000 (see p62 of annual report)

Total across 3 companies: $US48.96 million

2013-14

21st Century Fox: Total $US50.03 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US29.25 million
James Murdoch: $US18.7 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US2.08 million

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive director: $US104,000 (see p75 of annual report)

News Corp: Total $US9.15m
Rupert Murdoch $US8.7 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US225,000
James Murdoch: $US225,000

Total both companies: $US59.29 million

2012-13

News Corp: Total $US46.13 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US28.9 million
James Murdoch: $US17 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US225,000

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive director: $US102,000 (see p75 of annual report)

Total both companies: $US46.23m

2011-12

News Corp: Total $US49.5 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US30 million
James Murdoch: $US16.84 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US2.66 million

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive director: $US98,000 (see p61 of annual report)

Total both companies: $US49.6m

2010-11

News Corp: Total $US45.7 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US33.3 million
James Murdoch: $US11.9 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US504,000

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive director: $US98,000 (see p61 of annual report)

Total both companies: $US45.8m

2009-10

News Corp: Total $US34.81 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US22.72 million
James Murdoch: $US10.3 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US1.79 million

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive director: $US96,000 (see p52 of annual report)

Total both companies: $US34.9m

2008-09

News Corp: Total $US29.41 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US19.88 million
James Murdoch: $US9.2 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US331,000

BSkyB
James Murdoch, non-executive director: $US82,000 (see p52 of annual report)

Total both companies: $US29.49m

2007-08

News Corp: Total $US38.61 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US27.55 million
James Murdoch: $US10.97 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US90,000

BSkyB
James Murdoch, CEO: $US3.29m (see p51 of annual report)

Total both companies: $US41.9m

2006-07

News Corp: Total $US33.5

Rupert Murdoch: $US32.14 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US1.36 million

BSkyB (see p48 of annual report)
James Murdoch CEO: $US2.23m
Rupert Murdoch, non-executive chair: $US50,000

Total both companies: $US35.78m

2005-06

News Corp: Total $US26.1m (inc BSkyB)

Rupert Murdoch: $US25.9 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US142,000

BSkyB (see p71 of annual report)
James Murdoch CEO: $US1.62m
Rupert Murdoch, non-executive chair: $US53,000

Total both companies: $US27.71m

2004-05

News Corp: Total $US31.61

Rupert Murdoch: $US23.64 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US7.97 million

BSkyB (see p71 of annual report)
James Murdoch CEO: $US1.62m
Rupert Murdoch, non-executive chair: $US53,000

Total both companies: $US33.28m

2003-04

News Corp: Total $US26.45 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US20.65 million
James and Lachlan Murdoch received combined $US5.8 million

BSkyB (see p38 of annual report)
James Murdoch, CEO: $US1.62m
Rupert Murdoch, non-executive chairman: $US53,000

Total both companies: $US28.12m

2002-03

News Corp: Total $US19.3 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US14.1 million
James and Lachlan Murdoch received combined $US5.2 million

BSkyB (see p29 of annual report)
Rupert Murdoch, non-executive chairman: $US22,000
James Murdoch, director: $US18,000

Total both companies: $US19.34m

2001-02

News Corp: Total $US13.69 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US9.21 million
James and Lachlan Murdoch received combined $US4.48 million

2000-01

News Corp: Total $US13.24 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US7.58 million
James and Lachlan Murdoch received combined $US5.66 million

1999-2000

News Corp: Total $US9.67 million

Rupert Murdoch: $US6.53 million
Lachlan Murdoch: $US3.14 million
James Murdoch undisclosed

1998-99

News Corp

Rupert Murdoch: US$6.34 million
Lachlan and James Murdoch undisclosed.


Stories on the $1 billion Murdoch salary heist


Murdoch salaries hit $600m
Crikey, November 5, 2014


Murdoch salaries crack $1 billion
Crikey, October 1, 2015


Murdoch men help themselves to $111.5m in salaries from Fox in 2015-16
Crikey, September 26, 2016


Another year, another Murdoch family rip off
Crikey, October 3, 2019


News Corp bosses make another salary killing
Crikey, October 8, 2019


Daily Telegraph editorial November 11, 2005


Meanwhile, we just loved the following lines in today's Daily Telegrapheditorial:

The news that Leighton Holdings' CEO Wal King is getting an extra $23 million
on top of the $36 million he picked up in bonuses this year will no doubt cause
some eyebrows to raise.
In a rare bit of serendipity, it comes at a time when workers on federal
awards have been told they will not get their annual pay increase next June
because the Government's Fair Pay Commission will not make a decision until the
end of the year.

Mr King's bonuses and benefits alone could pay the weekly wage of more than
120,000 workers on the minimum rate of $484 a week.
An analysis of the top 300 companies on the ASX has found CEO salaries rose
by 44 per cent this year. Those on the minimum wage got a 3.6 per cent pay
increase. Can anybody seriously argue this is fair?


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