Hero or villain? Rupert Murdoch’s exit stirs strong feelings in Britain, where he upended the media

By JILL LAWLESS and PAN PYLAS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Rupert Murdoch stirs mixed feelings in Britain, where he transformed the media over half a century. U.K. journalists and politicians are both hailing and reviling the 92-year-old mogul after he announced he was stepping down as leader of his media empire. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the tycoon was a champion of “the global free media that is indispensable for democracy and progress.” Ex-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said Murdoch’s outlets had “poisoned global democracy and spread disinformation on a mass scale.” Murdoch shook up the U.K.’s staid media scene with his tabloid newspapers and later his Sky broadcasting empire. His power has been battered by scandals, but he remains and influential figure.