Famous Media Moguls

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The word Mogul originated either from the most powerful Mongol rulers or from the Moghul Emperors of India who were the icons of wealth and luxurious lifestyle. Currently the term media mogul refers to a highly successful and influential businessman or the proprietor of a media enterprise or any mass media-related complex. By virtue of their ownership, they are highly resourceful and can influence not only regional politics or affairs, but can also impact international affairs. In addition to mogul, various other terms like tycoon, baron, or business magnate are also used as alternates. Not all of them are born moguls and many, in fact, rose from menial backgrounds. Mostly, media moguls include entertainment celebrities or publishers of newspapers and magazines of international importance. Like all the other classes of rich people, most media moguls have a great tendency to become philanthropists. There are others who spend their wealth on a luxurious life style, while there are still a few others who are interested only in accumulating more and more wealth, wrapping it like a silkworm around their bodies until they die in their cocoons.

1. Mark Elliot Zuckerberg

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born to Karen and Edward Zuckerberg on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York. He was raised in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He was raised as Jewish, but later on described himself as an atheist. He was educated at Ardsley High School, Mercy College, and Harvard University. He started programming at an early age and was considered a child prodigy. During his stay at Harvard University, he developed, along with some other university friends, Facebook. Within a very short time, he became a billionaire, by dint of Facebook. Since April, 2013, he is the chairman and chief executive of Facebook and is recognized as one of the most famous media moguls. His wealth is estimated to be more than US$16.8 billion. He was named in the list of the100 wealthiest and most influential people in the world. The Hollywood movie, The Social Network, portrayed the development of Facebook.

2. Oprah Gail Winfrey

Oprah Gail Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey

Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in rural Mississippi on January 29, 1954 and was raised in the suburbs of Milwaukee. She faced hardship during her childhood. She started her career with a job in radio. She is currently a famous media mogul and is best known for her multiple-award-winning show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. It was the highest rated television program of its kind in history. She is considered the richest African American of the twentieth century, and for quite a long time she remained the only black billionaire. Some sources have ranked her the most influential woman in the world.

3. Steve Forbes

Steve Forbes
Steve Forbes

Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Jr., better known as Steve Forbes, was born to Roberta Remsen and Malcolm Forbes, on July 18, 1947. He was raised in the town of Far Hills, New Jersey. He attended Fall Hills Country Day School and Brooks School in North Andover, Massachusetts. He is a famous media mogul known for Forbes Magazine, and Business Today, which is the largest student run magazine in the world. He founded this magazine, along with two other students, while he was at Princeton.

4. Ted Turner III

Ted Turner III
Ted Turner III

Robert Edward Turner III, known as Ted Turner, was born to Florence and Robert Edward Turner II, on November 19, 1938 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was educated at McCallie School and Brown University, from which he received an honorary degree. He started his media empire at the age of 24, after the death of his father. Until surpassed by John C. Malone, he was the largest private landowner in U.S. He has the largest herd of bison on his lands. Turner is known for his $1 billion gift to the United Nations Foundation. He is one of the most famous American media moguls and is best known for founding the first 24 hours cable news channel, CNN.

5. Hugh Marston Hefner

Hugh Marston Hefner
Hugh Marston Hefner

Hugh Marston Hefner was born to Grace Caroline and Glenn Lucius Hefner on April 9, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois. He was educated at Sayer Elementary School, Steinmetz High School, the University of Illinois, and Northwestern University. He graduated with degrees in both psychology and sociology. He is one of the most popular media moguls. He is the founder and chief creative officer of the world-famous Playboy Enterprises. The first issue of Playboy featured a nude Marilyn Monroe calendar. More than 50,000 copies of this issue were sold.

6. Conrad Moffat Black

Conrad Moffat Black
Conrad Moffat Black

Conrad Moffat Black was born to George Montegu Black, Jr. and Jean Elizabeth Riley on August 25, 1944 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is also known as The Right Honorable, The Lord Black of Crossharbour. Black is a typical example of the born media mogul. His father was the president of an international brewing conglomerate, the Canadian Breweries Limited. Black was the head of Hollinger International, which had been the third largest English language newspaper empire in the world. Hollinger published the Daily Telegraph, the Chicago Sun Times, the Jerusalem Post, the Sydney Morning Herald, and the National Post.

7. Michael Rubens Bloomberg

Michael Rubens Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg

Michael Rubens Bloomberg was born on February 14, 1942 in, Boston, Massachusetts. He was educated at Johns Hopkins University, and also served from 1996 to 2002 as chairman of its board of trustees. He started his career at Salomon Brothers, which he formed into a company in 1988, and became its chairman and CEO. He held the position for the next twenty years. He is a well-known media mogul. He is the founder and owner of 88% shares of Bloomberg L.P., which is a global financial data and media company. With an estimated net worth of $27 billion, he is the seventh wealthiest person in America.

8. Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson, better known as Michael Jackson was born to Katherine Esther Scruse and Joseph Walter Jackson in, Gary, Indiana. He was born on August 29, 1958 and died on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50, in Los Angles, California. Being a songwriter, dancer, businessman, and philanthropist, he was an American media mogul. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, he was the most successful entertainer of all time. He was often referred to as the King of Pop. His 1982 album, Thriller, is the all-time best seller. The Guinness Book of World Records 2000 recognized him for supporting 39 charities. He was charged with child sex abuse, but was tried and acquitted.

9. Walt Disney

Walt Disney
Walt Disney

Walter Elias Disney, better known as Walt Disney, was born on December 5, 1901in Chicago, Illinois, and died on December 15, 1966 at the age of 65, in Burbank, California. Regarded as an international icon, he was a famous media mogul. He was a well-known film producer, actor, screenwriter, and animator. He is particularly known for his contribution to animation in the entertainment industry. Along with his brother, Roy O. Disney, he founded Walt Disney Productions, which recorded estimated US$36 billion annual revenue in 2010. He is also known for theme park design and some popular fictional characters like Mickey Mouse. He has won more awards than any other individual in history, including 22 academy awards.

10. Kerry Packer

Kerry Packer
Kerry Packer

Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, commonly known as Kerry Packer, was born to Gretel Bullmore and Sir Frank Packer in New South Wales, Australia. He died on December 26, 2005 at the age of 68, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He was an Australian media mogul and was in control of Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network. At the death of his father in 1974, the family estate was valued at more than $100 million. He was the richest person in Australia and, at the time of his death in 2004, his net worth was estimated as more than $6.5 billion.

Conclusion

There is nothing more influential than media in modern times, and who can be more influential than the media moguls who have the greatest influence on media itself. A few of them never let their hearts and souls become tarnished by their material belongings. Oprah Winfrey said, ‘Material success is rewarding and a lot of fun, but it’s not the most important thing in my life because I know when this is all over, the Master isn’t going to ask me how many things I owned or how many television shows I did. I think the questions will be what did I do to make a difference? Did I learn to live with love in my heart?’

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