The Chief: The Life of Lord Northcliffe Britain's Greatest Press Baron

by Andrew Roberts

'Superb...his pages fizz with character and colour' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times
'Scholarly and very readable' Andrew Lycett, Spectator
'Energetic and hugely entertaining' A.N.Wilson, TLS
A definitive and compelling biography of Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe (1865-1922), the greatest press magnate in history, the genius who invented modern popular journalism, and against whom all the other great newspaper proprietors must be measured.

By the time of his tragically early death at 57 in August 1922, Northcliffe had founded the Daily Mail  and Daily Mirror , and had also owned The Times and the  Observer . At one point he owned two-thirds of all the titles on Fleet Street. He laid down the essential features of British popular journalism that we see now.

He was a tough and uncompromising businessman, but in The Chief Andrew Roberts puts his ruthlessness and wilfulness in the overall context of a life of visionary business skill, journalistic brilliance, distinguished wartime public service and heartfelt patriotism. From a modest background, growing up on the outskirts of Dublin, by 27 he presided over a magazine empire with the largest circulation in the world. He wanted his readers to know that he was on their side, which they instinctively did. He was proud of his populist approach, saw the importance of appealing to both sexes in his pages, and allowed his editors leeway so long as they understood and followed his vision. The formula he created for the Daily Mail is still world-beating to this day. 

Based on exclusive access to the Harmsworth family archive, The Chief is a compelling and essential portrait of a man who changed the way we learn about the news, and whose influence still resonates today. 
 

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, British Literature, Journalism, European History

Audiobook

Published August 18, 2022

About the author

Dr Andrew Roberts, who was born in 1963, took a first class honours degree in Modern History at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, from where he is an honorary senior scholar and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). He has written or edited twelve books, and appears regularly on radio and television around the world. Based in New York, he is an accomplished public speaker, and is represented by HarperCollins Speakers’ Bureau (See Speaking Engagements and Speaking Testimonials). He has recently lectured at Yale, Princeton and Stanford Universities and at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Influence and Power

I have to admit before reading The Chief I knew absolutely nothing about Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe. However, as it’s by Andrew Roberts I knew it would be a first class book. I can say I wasn’t disappointed. Roberts has a certain flair and way of bringing those he writes about to life, that is why he is probably my favourite historian. I came away understanding a lot about Harmsworth, what made him tick, his personality, his relationships, his hobbies, his outlook.

It is incredible to think of the influence this man held over society in the Edwardian and then Great War period. I have always felt that the reason the Kaiser was hated and we still have a negative view of him today (which is slowly being challenged to produce a fairer view) is because Harmsworth detested him and put all of his industrial and political power into the propaganda machine which became more effective than any machine gun or bombardment could ever hope in winning the war. As the Kaiser noted himself ‘what a man’ noting that he could have done with a Lord Northcliffe.

Harmsworth brought down the last Liberal government under H. H. Asquith (after publicising the shell shortage in his newspaper The Times) and after placing David Lloyd George in 10 Downing Street also turned on him. He founded The Daily Mail, The Mirror and eventually bought The Times, the most prestigious and influential even though it was not the most circulated paper. He has a complex relationship with the famous figures at the time, from Asquith, Lloyd George, Jackie Fisher and George Curzon and Richard Haldane; with W. S. Churchill and he agreeing to be critical of each other in public but to be on friendly terms privately.

As Roberts sets out to say Harmsworth was not wholly a great man, if not a genius in some ways. He was very antisemitic, he didn’t form close friendships and was a womaniser. His was also generous to his wife Mary, whom he grew apart from when they failed to have children and he also looked after him family, especially his mother and his illegitimate children. He also ensured his employees were well cared for and introduced the five day work week, giving them Saturdays off. He was a visionary, with how he ran and mass produced his papers and saw the early innovation in aeroplanes.

He is a man that will probably be lost to the history books rather than committed to memory, but he was extremely important. He wielded a huge amount of control during one of the most salient periods of British and world history. As an imperialist, he cared about Britain’s Empire and place in the world more than most and would look to preserve it at any cost. This is an outdated idea in today’s society, but we must take him as a product of his time. The Chief is a great read and a great insight into the time he was in. Roberts has done a great job once again. Can’t wait for his next one.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting and detailed biography of one of the greatest media barons which changed the way newspapers were delivered to the public

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkably well researched book about possibly one of the most influential people the UK has ever produced. Northcliffe exerted a phenomenal amount of influence from a young age and despite never being elected to any political position was able to completely change Britains course, not only during his lifetime but well after. There is an argument to say modern Britain would look very different were it not for policies and points of view that the Northcliffe press either promoted or disparaged. Northcliffe himself was an interesting character and was very much a product of the times. His blatant anti-semitism and strong imperialist views are impossible to justify today and I certainly wouldn't want to celebrate him due to this. However, it is important to note that some of his views were far more progressive. He championed unions, advocated for troops, understood the potential of air power and towards the latter part of his life supported Irish independence. He was not a black and white character and this book portrays him very well as a man full of contradictions.

The book itself is very well written although it does very much delve into the minutiae of his life, perhaps a little too much for my liking but that is to be expected of a book such as this. It provides a fascinating insight into the UK at the turn of the 20th century and is well worth a read if you've any interest in period.

[Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Notwithstanding the energy of Northcliffe and his genius for obtaining and wielding power there is only so much I wanted to know about him and his meddling in affairs of state and the conduct of WW1. By 3/4 way through I was finding Northcliffe's ways boorish. His enormous wealth meant that he could buy his way to what he wanted most of the time. His wealth was matched by power over others--exercised through his newspapers which gave him more influence without accountability than any one person should have in a democracy. The author tells us more than once that those who knew Northcliffe well observed that he had a 'cruel streak' and by the end of the book I was not at all sure why I had given time to learning about him.

[Spencer Feeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A generally sympathetic biography of Alfred Harmsworth from his impoverished boyhood, through his days of pomp as 'the Napoleon of Fleet Street', to his terrible death at 57.
While Roberts makes the case for Northcliffe's many considerable accomplishments, he does not avoid his significant faults, especially his lifelong virulent anti-semitism.
Nevertheless, Roberts concludes that: "It is no exaggeration to say that he shaped the landscape of modern journalism."

[Susan Random · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted so much to enjoy this, but found it difficult to read. It does contain an awful lot of information about the life and times of Lord Northcliffe, but also expects the reader to know more background to the era.

[Neil Bradford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough but not a figure that necessarily warrants the Roberts treatment. Was this a paid-for gig?

[Diana Cheal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with this as I didn’t like Northcliffe as a person. However, it’s meticulously researched and written, as always by Roberts

[Richard FitzGerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked it, the tabloid part, and how to engage with audiences , and how media evolved

It went a bit too much into politics and WW1, would have liked to have known more business info

[Elisabeth Ahlefeldt-Laurvig · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most interesting biography of a visionary newspaperman. Many of his initiatives are the norm nowadays. Highly reccomended, especially to those interested in journalism.