"Waiting two decades for another chance to snaffle a prized business acquisition is a luxury not afforded to many executives. The Rothermere family, however, takes a more relaxed approach to time. While most business boards draw up five-year plans, the Rothermeres, having compiled a feared media empire over more than a century, are used to thinking in terms of generations."
"It was in the summer of 2004 that Jonathan Harold Esmond Vere Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere, the tall, curly haired and immaculately turned out proprietor of the Daily Mail, failed in his bid to acquire the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph. By Rothermere's assessment, the failure delighted Rupert Murdoch because it would have created a stable of rightwing newspapers powerful enough to rival the unique political leverage of Murdoch's own titles, then comprising the Times, Sunday Times, the Sun and News of the World."
"The softly spoken Rothermere, however, was able to play a longer game. The Telegraph titles were again put up for sale in 2023. Since then, two prospective owners have come and gone, both after internal Telegraph revolts over their suitability. Rothermere has now swooped. In the process, the 57-year-old has reaffirmed his family's obsession with British newspapers, after his forebears bought, sold and smashed together some of the biggest titles of their day."
Jonathan Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere, previously failed to buy the Telegraph titles in 2004. He believed that acquisition would have created a powerful stable of rightwing newspapers rivaling Rupert Murdoch's titles. The Telegraph was again for sale in 2023, and two prospective owners left after internal revolts over suitability. Rothermere's DMGT group has now moved to acquire the titles, reaffirming a multigenerational family focus on British newspapers. Media analyst Alex DeGroote described Rothermere as business-minded but primarily passionate about journalism and noted a long-standing aim to unite centre-right media. Significant competition and media plurality issues remain before the deal completes.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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