Murdoch tops Vanity Fair's power 100 for second year after media coup

It has been a tumultuous year in the worlds of finance, entertainment, media, technology and fashion, at least according to Vanity Fair which this week releases its top 100 of the world's most influential figures. While the list will flatter those who have held their footing on the slippery slopes of cache and clout – well done Rupert Murdoch and Steve Jobs – others who have tumbled will be scowling.

Climbers in the magazine's "New Establishment 2007" include New York Mayor and financial news kingpin Michael Bloomberg (ninth place from 36th last year). The highest new entry, at number 11, is Carlos Slim Helu, the Mexican telecommunications titan and art collector.

There is little science in lists such at these – the magazine weighs wealth (Slim has more money than anyone) and other such intangible factors as influence and general shininess. They are the people, allegedly, who shape our world.

Not so shiny is Sumner Redstone, 84, the head of Viacom, who plunges 40 points to 70th place after several nasty legal spats. Celebrities considered to have waned include Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise.

The top 20...

1. Rupert Murdoch

(last year: 1) He won the top spot last year for his purchase of MySpace.com. This year's booty: The Wall Street Journal

2. Steve Jobs

(3) Apple's iPod might have been in danger of becoming a bit 'yesterday' were it not for its beautiful spin-off, the iPhone

3. Sergey Brin and Larry Page

(2) The 'twins' continue to conquer the cyber-world from their Google headquarters. Latest acquisition: YouTube for $1.65bn

4. Stephen Schwarzman and Pete Peterson (34) Not household names perhaps, but the men behind the equity behemoth, the Blackstone Group

5. Warren Buffett (6) The long-reigning champion of savvy investing may be 76 but his Berkshire Hathaway generates $100bn a year

6. Bill Clinton (7) Still near the top nearly seven years after leaving office thanks to his charity works. Soon to be First Dude?

7. Steven Spielberg (10) Another old-timer with new projects afoot that include Indiana Jones 4 and a series of 3-D animations of Tintin

8. Bernard Arnault (19) Luxury brands under the control of his LVMH group range from Louis Vuitton to Fendi, Moet Hennessy, Dom Perignon and TAG Heuer

9. Michael Bloomberg (36) New York is buzzing along under his stewardship. With high approval ratings some think he will run for president

10. Bill and Melinda Gates (5, for Bill Gates; Melinda Gates appears for the first time) Bill may have been overtaken by Carlos Slim as the richest man, but he and his Missus are the biggest philanthropists ever

11. Carlos Slim Helú (new entry) Wealth counts. Fortune says he is the world's richest, with some 200 companies under his belt representing 7 per cent of Mexico's GDP

12. H. Lee Scott (4) Wal-Mart had to pop up sooner or later. But the chain has had its problems, so its CEO slips eight places

13. Ralph Lauren (21) His Polo Ralph Lauren brand continues to thrive with its preppy allure. Sales last year reached $4.3bn

14. Oprah Winfrey (9) She is down five points, but Oprah still rocks. Watch her wield her influence in the 2008 presidential derby

15. Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg (12) The power couple retain their wattage, with Barry astride the Web and wife set to open new shops worldwide for her fashions

16. David Geffen (22) Co-chief of the Dreamworks studio, this Hollywood shaker kept his coffers full in part by selling paintings by Jackson Pollock and others

17. Howard Stringer (14) For ever aloft commuting between New York, Toyko and London, the sociable (and Welsh) head of Sony got big help this year from Spiderman 3.

18. Richard Parsons (11) His Time Warner group seems to have regained its footing this year. Some say he wants to succeed Bloomberg as NY mayor

19. Al Gore (33) He rises ever higher like a blimp on the winds of global warming. Good concerts Al, now run for president (Not likely)

20. Larry Ellison (8) The long-time Silicon Valley honcho has steered his Oracle into more acquisitions while its stock soared 35 per cent

... and the rest

21. Herb Allen (48) Owner of Allen & Co, investment house

22. Jeff Bewkes (16) No 2 at Time Warner

23. Jeff Bezos (42) Amazon is his baby

24. Peter Chernin (15) Runs News Corp day to day

25. Leslie Moonves (18) CBS chief

26. Jerry Bruckheimer (28) Hollywood producer

27. George Clooney (23) Newly Oscared actor

28. Bono (24) Rock star/ campaigner for Africa

29. François Pinault (26) Luxury brands king/ art collector

30. Roman Abramovich (50) Russian oil mogul, financier

31. Ronald Perelman (31) Controls Revlon

32. Tom Hanks (25) Actor/producer

33. Jacob Rothschild (80) Financier

34. Robert De Niro (27) Actor/producer

35. Howard Schultz (new entry) Founder Starbucks

36. Robert Iger (13) Disney boss

37. Giorgio Armani (32) Fashion boss

38. Jeffrey Katzenberg (45) DreamWorks co-chief

39. Ronald Lauder and Leonard Lauder (40) Estée Lauder brothers

40. George Lucas (41) Producer, Lucas Films

41. Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein (39) The Weinstein Company (films)

42. Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols (47) TV anchor/film director

43. Bruce Wasserstein (38) Head of Lazard investment house

44. Miuccia Prada (58) Handbags etc

45. Steven Cohen (29) Financier – SAC Capital Advisers

46. Tom Cruise (35) Actor/producer

47. Jay-Z (46) Rapper/entrepreneur

48. Ron Meyer (returning) Universal Studios chief

49. Frank Gehry (77) Architect

50. Arnold Schwarzenegger (new entry) Governor of California

51. Henry Kravis (new entry) Private equity king

52. Karl Lagerfeld (60) Controls Chanel fragrances

53. Oscar and Annette de la Renta (65) Fashion couple

54. Martha Stewart (returning) Omnimedia chief

55. Mickey Drexler (84) Retail chief – J. Crew

56. Michael Moritz (new entry) Financier, Sequoia Capital

57. Brian Roberts (52) Head of Comcast, cable TV

58. Roger Ailes (44) Head of Fox News channel

59. Vivi Nevo (61) Investor, NV Investments

60. Mick Jagger (56) Rock star

61. Jeff Skoll (87) Film Producer

62. Vinod Khosla (new entry) Green technology investor

63. Diego Della Valle (new entry) Chief of luxury shoe giant, Tod's

64. Stacey Snider (returning) Co-chief DreamWorks.

65. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard (64) Producers, Imagine Entertainment

66. John Lasseter (67) Heads Disney/Pixar studios

67. George Soros (new entry) Money manager

68. Philippe Dauman

(new entry) Runs Viacom media giant

69. John Malone (71) Runs Liberty Media

70. Sumner Redstone (30) Owner Viacom/CBS

71. Paul Allen (37) Head of Vulcan investment house

72. Eddie Lampert (51) Money manager, ESL Investments

73. Leon Black (new entry) Private equity, Apollo Management

74. Jann Wenner (75) Owns Rolling Stone magazine

75. Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan (new entry) Working Title Films, London

76. Jerry Weintraub (new entry) Producer (Ocean's Eleven)

77. Donatella Versace (81) Fashion

78. Thomas L Friedman (68) New York Times columnist

79. Tim Russert (49) Political pundit, NBC TV

80. Charlie Rose (62) Political pundit, PBS TV

81. Joel Silver (63) Film producer, Dark Castle

82. Frank Rich (57) New York Times commentator/author

83. Jonathan Ive (new entry) Designer/Apple

84. Larry Gagosian (85) Gallery owner (NY, LA, London)

85. Charles Saatchi (90) Saatchi Gallery

86. Jean Pigozzi (96) Art collector/playboy

87. Stephen Colbert (new entry) TV political satirist/host

88. Bill O'Reilly (54) Fox TV conservative talk show host

89. Jon Stewart (new entry) TV political satirist/host

90. Steve Bing (92) Film producer, Shangri-La

91. Eli Broad (78) Billionaire philanthropist

92. Michael Milken (79) Philanthropist, anti-cancer champion

93. Arthur Sulzberger Jr. (new entry) Owner, The New York Times

94. Ron Burkle (89) Supermarket and media magnate

95. Scott Rudin (new entry) Hollywood producer (The Queen)

96. Jimmy Buffett (new entry) Balladeer/ musician

97. Steven Rattner (99) Fund manager/ investor

98. Arianna Huffington (76) Political blogger/pundit

99. Doug Morris (69) Runs Universal Music

100. Jimmy Iovine (97) Interscope Records