News Corp Just Locked In Their CEO Until 2030—Here’s Why It Matters
So News Corp just made a big move—they’re keeping CEO Robert Thomson around until at least 2030. And honestly? It makes sense when you look at what he’s done. The guy’s delivered four straight record-breaking profitable years (2021-2024), and 2025’s looking solid too. That’s no small feat when you consider how the media industry‘s been getting tossed around like a salad these past few years—print dying, tech giants eating everyone’s lunch, you know the drill. But here’s the real question: why commit to six more years, and what’s this mean for the company?
Who Exactly Is This Robert Thomson Guy?
Let me put it this way—Thomson isn’t your typical suit-and-tie executive. Started as a journalist, worked his way up at heavy hitters like The Wall Street Journal and The Times, then took over News Corp back in 2013. Since then? He’s been playing chess while everyone else was stuck playing checkers—pushing digital hard, making smart buys, and somehow keeping profits up while traditional media burned down around him.
The Real Reasons Behind The Contract Extension
Money Talks
Numbers don’t lie—those 2021-2024 years were the company’s best ever financially. Digital subscriptions (especially WSJ) are booming, and Thomson cut costs like a surgeon—trimmed $300M without massive layoffs. One analyst put it perfectly: “The man turned penny-pinching into a competitive advantage.”
Playing The Long Game
Thomson saw the digital shift coming way before most. While others were panicking about ad revenue, he doubled down on paywalls and AI tools. Smart moves like expanding in Australia and that Opis acquisition? That’s him building multiple income streams—because putting all your eggs in one basket is how you end up bankrupt.
Steady Hands On The Wheel
Here’s the thing—when your industry’s in freefall, investors want stability. Thomson gives them that. He’s not chasing every shiny new trend, but actually building stuff that lasts. And that whole dance of criticizing tech giants while still cutting deals with them? That takes serious skill.
What’s Actually Changed Under His Watch
The Money Situation
Market cap nearly doubled since 2020. Digital’s now over half their revenue—that’s huge. And get this—he managed to slash costs without the usual bloodbath of layoffs. Try finding another media CEO who pulled that off.
Digital Domination
Wall Street Journal just crossed 4 million digital subs. The Times UK hit 1 million. And they’re using AI for stuff like earnings reports—not to replace journalists, but to handle the boring stuff so humans can do real journalism.
Smart Buys And Tough Negotiations
That $1.1B Opis deal? Genius move into energy data. And remember when everyone was complaining about Google and Facebook eating their lunch? Thomson actually got them to pay up for news content—and smaller publishers copied his playbook.
Not All Sunshine And Rainbows Though
Print’s Still Dying
Here’s the awkward truth—30% of their money still comes from print. Thomson’s strategy? Go premium—focus on high-end financial and legal publishing where people will actually pay.
Tech Giants Aren’t Going Anywhere
Google and Meta still control like 80% of ad money. News Corp’s counter? More paywalls, collecting their own user data, and good old-fashioned political lobbying—like pushing for that Journalism Competition Act.
Regulators Are Watching
Especially in Australia where News Corp basically runs the show. Good thing Thomson’s buddies with all the right people—you’ll see him schmoozing at Davos every year.
What Everyone’s Saying About The Move
Analysts are mostly thumbs-up. One put it best: “Right now, not rocking the boat is the smartest move.” Investors clearly agree—stock jumped 3% on the news. Though you’ve got some rivals grumbling about “executive monarchy” or whatever.
What This Means Going Forward
Basically? More of the same, but turned up to eleven. Expect heavier bets on digital subscriptions, AI-curated content, and those sweet B2B data services. Rumor is they’re eyeing climate analytics next—everyone’s suddenly into that these days. The big test? Whether Thomson’s model can survive past 2030, or if this is the last hurrah for old-school media giants.
Bottom Line
This isn’t just a golden handshake for past wins—it’s a massive bet that Thomson’s blend of journalism and ruthless business sense can outlast the industry’s meltdown. Most media CEOs are gone in five years—by 2030, he’ll have been there seventeen. But with tech rewriting the rules every other Tuesday, even his famous pragmatism might meet its match.
Source: NY Post – Business