Twenty-First Century Fox 2008 Annual Report Download - page 16

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15
At a time when some parts of the world are affected by
economic and geopolitical uncertainty, having a healthy balance
sheet is important to us. Today, News Corporation is the
most global and most competitive media and entertainment
company on earth. The international network of related
businesses that we are building, businesses which are far more
than the sum of their parts, will be a platform for future growth
and for stockholder returns. Every day, we reach more than
a billion people through television, lms, books, newspapers,
satellite technology and the Internet. Many of our most exciting
opportunities for growth continue to be overseas.
In the emerging world, we are seeing the creation of a global
middle class of more than two billion people who are well
educated, well remunerated and increasingly sophisticated
in their choices. Their entry into the global marketplace
is changing the world for the better. These are talented
and motivated people, and as they advance, they will
be increasingly hungry for better sources of news and
entertainment. And we are in a strong position to provide it.
Over July and August, for example, I spent a few weeks
in Asia, where I met some of our talented employees
and was impressed by the hard work and growing self-
condence I saw throughout the region. In the historic city
of Pune in Western India, I saw plans to bring the Internet
to the most remote of Indian villages. In Mumbai, I launched
two Dow Jones indexes that will measure the rise of India’s
companies and its growing economy. Like the Chinese before
them, the people of India suffered a grinding poverty that
was caused by a failure of policy and was not a reection of
personal potential. But these inspiring individuals have picked
themselves up and are determined to use their talents and
skills to make a better life for themselves and their families.
Their rise is to be celebrated and will surely provide our
Company with extraordinary opportunities in the future.
I have condence in that future because I know the character
and ability of the 64,000 dedicated individuals who make up
the News Corporation family: women and men with a passion
for innovation, an aversion to complacency – and a belief that
all consumers deserve quality and choice. These talented
individuals are attracted to News Corporation because they
know we offer a place where they will be given the freedom
they need to show what they can do. Their mission – our
mission – is to inform, to innovate and to inspire.
Revolutionary changes have shaped our world and transformed
our Company. But we will be faithful to our core mission. And as
long as we do, we will continue to do what we do best: connecting
people all over the world, creating choice where none exists,
taking on established competitors, and husbanding our assets
for new opportunities and challenges.
Rupert Murdoch
Chairman and Chief Executive Ofcer
"I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I KNOW THE CHARACTER AND ABILITY OF THE
64,000 DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE UP THE NEWS CORPORATION FAMILY: WOMEN
AND MEN WITH A PASSION FOR INNOVATION, AN AVERSION TO COMPLACENCY – AND A BELIEF
THAT ALL CONSUMERS DESERVE QUALITY AND CHOICE."