Murdoch in a rage about new biography

EDITOR'S NOTE: Since the following item was posted, Michael Wolff has written to The First Post to say that no changes were made to his book at the behest of Murdoch or News Corp. We are happy to accept this was the case and apologise to Mr Wolff accordingly.

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch (pictured) has forced the publishers of a forthcoming book about his life and business affairs, called The Man Who Owns the News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch, to make substantial changes just six weeks before it is due to be published.

Doubleday, part of Random House, were approached by Murdoch after he nefariously got his hands on a draft of the book (more of which later). He was not happy with the author Michael Wolff's account of his alleged attitude to Fox News, which he owns, and its chief executive, Roger Ailes. Wolff, a Vanity Fair journalist, claimed that Murdoch was often embarrassed by the TV station's (and Ailes’s) right-wing take on the world.

Before his people approached Doubleday, who have made many of his requested amendments, Murdoch sent Wolff an email. He wrote: "I have just read four or five chapters of your book. It contains some extremely damaging misstatements of fact."

For his part, Wolff says he believes the objections raised are more to do with corporate politics than inaccuracies. He said: "I don't think this is necessarily real objections. It's all from the horse's mouth. And it's all on tape."

So how did Murdoch get the book in the first place? Step forward Matthew Freud, the public relations executive who is married to Murdoch's daughter, Elisabeth. Wolff believes Freud obtained it through an acquaintance at the London Evening Standard, which had received a draft for the purpose of negotiating a serial rights agreement. Freud cheerfully admits this is the case, without confirming which paper or from whom he got it from. He said: "There were clearly a number of copies going around, and someone kindly sent me a copy."