Branding: Rupert Murdoch, he wrote (and News Corps new logo was born)

Media empire's new design is based on the handwriting of its executive chairman

Murdoch's handwriting is said to be 'very clear and uncomplicated' and 'moving into the future' (Getty Images)

News Corporation has unveiled a shiny new logo based on the handwriting of executive chairman Rupert Murdoch and his father (however that’s supposed to work). The rebrand comes after the board’s decision to split the parent company into 21st Century Fox (the entertainment titles) and News Corp (journalism and book holdings).

With the hacking scandal at The News of the World refusing to go away, the publishing arm (which also includes titles such as The Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Harper Collins) could certainly do with a bit of a makeover. And so gone is the stiff, corporate logo and in its place is a friendly, trustworthy bit of scribble. A human touch to a global enterprise.

But what does the media mogul’s handwriting say about him? “It’s very clear and uncomplicated, which I think is a nice sign,” says Elaine Quigley, a psychologist and past chairman of the British Institute of Graphologists. “It has a very good, strong baseline which means he is in charge. The slant of the writing to the right indicates wanting to communicate and to move forward. It is moving into the future.”

Quigley also notes the third stroke of the “N” rising above the rest of it as if it is trying to reach up. Sure enough, no one can accuse Murdoch of lacking ambition. The letter “E’’s detachment from the “N” indicates starting a new enterprise (he is!) and the little hook on the “C” suggests that the famously strong-willed 82-year-old knows his own mind and won’t be pushed around once he’s made a decision. So far, so obvious.

Interestingly though, Quigley suggests that the way the “W” slightly curves shows that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. “Then the ‘R’ is quite a wide letter,” observes Quigley. “It’s not as narrow as many of the other letters and as it has a nice smooth shape with that curved top, humour is coming slightly into his mind.”

However, The Independent can’t help but question Murdoch’s sense of humour. He didn’t even find a pie in the face funny.