Bruce Dover, the Vice President of News Corp in China for most of the 1990s, says he is frequently questioned about his motives for writing a book about his former employer. “People often ask, why write an insider's account of Rupert Murdoch and risk offending the world’s most powerful media tycoon?”

Although the book reveals things that Murdoch would most likely prefer were kept out of the public arena, Dover admits he was reserved in some cases.

“I think that most of it was fair and I think there are probably some places that even I don’t want to go.”

He speaks of his admiration for Murdoch’s energy, intellect, drive, and optimism: “Rupert Murdoch is the most impressive man I’ve ever met, he’s also the most pragmatic.”

Dover also acknowledges Murdoch’s determination to always see a deal through to the end. “Never get between Murdoch and a dollar bill,” he says. “He’s very pragmatic and sometimes a ruthless businessman.”

Failure in China

But despite his power and his billions, Murdoch couldn’t woo over the Chinese.

It’s easy to see why Murdoch set his eyes on China, with a market of over one billion people, many of whom he thought were longing for a good U.S. drama. To Rupert, Dover states, “It was as though they were just waiting for Western culture.

“Rupert could never accept the fact that, I’m here bearing gifts from the West, so why aren’t you rolling out the red carpet?”

Dover believes it was Murdoch’s lack of understanding about the Communist government that failed him in the region: “He just couldn’t seem to make that cultural leap.” He says that Chinese officials could not understand the man who was professing undying support for conservative Republican values on one network and then on the other hand was bending over backwards to please China’s Communist government.

Murdoch’s gaffe

Dover recalls Murdoch’s biggest blunder following the spontaneous $525 million purchase of STAR TV from Hong Kong businessman, Richard Li. Aside from the fact that the satellite TV service was being pirated by millions and chances for profit were already hindered, Dover says his biggest mistake was declaring that satellite TV was an “unambiguous threat to totalitarian regimes everywhere.”

Murdoch also boasted, “And satellite broadcasting makes it possible for information-hungry residents of many closed societies to bypass state-controlled television channels.”

Needless to say, Beijing had banned the service within a month and Murdoch was stuck with a redundant satellite empire.

Rupert’s new wife

Interestingly, Dover says he was the one to introduce Rupert Murdoch to Wendi Deng. The lady who was 38 years Murdoch’s junior - or half his age - would soon become his mistress, and later his wife.

“It was simply a cocktail party where I went 'Rupert Wendy, Wendy Rupert',” Dover laughs.

“He certainly had remarked about her energy, there was a spark, but I mean I had no idea that it was going to go where it did,” he said.

However, while Dover says “Wendi has been able to give him a better understanding of some of the cultural issues”, he admits that she had little business success or knowledge of the Chinese communist party and was shunned for being a home-wrecker.

Future of China

Murdoch’s attempt to conquer China failed miserably and he lost a fortune doing so, not that many would pity him.

Dover doesn’t see much opportunity for Murdoch in China any time soon, and expresses little optimism about media freedom in the country.

“I think there’s going to be no real change,” he says. “Western media companies have got as far as they’re going to get for some time, there’s going to be no real opening up at all.”