I've watched some of this on TV.
The thing that stuck me about Murdoch snr, (apart from the fact he likes banging his hand on the table), is just how much he lacks in charisma, personality, influence and inspiration and in fact in any kind of social skills.
How does a guy like that get to be as powerful as he is?
His wife was willing him on as best she could, but he never managed to pull himself out of the image of a sad old man who was probably told nothing of any importance.
