Fortune rank: 20
2008 profit: $5.39 Billion
Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate comprising Fox News, MySpace, and The Wall Street Journal boosted profits by 57% in its first year after acquiring Dow Jones news service. Cable networks, which include Fox News, were its hottest businesses. The division earned 16% more as viewers tuned in to coverage of a historic presidential campaign and Wall Street's collapse.
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Last updated April 20 2009: 11:09 AM ET