Rupert Murdoch likes money more than politics. Rupert Murdoch likes newspapers more than television. And Rupert Murdoch liked Michael Wolff circa last year more than Michael Wolff circa right now. Wolff, of course, is the Vanity Fair columnist and Newser.com proprietor who is also writing Murdoch's biography. Actually, it's already written, and will be published in December — with what was supposed to be Murdoch's blessing. The News Corp. chieftan cooperated with Wolff's book, sitting for interviews and such, but now he wants to take it all back ever since an advanced copy of The Man Who Owns the News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch landed on his desk, and one of his aides had a chance to outline it for him.

Accusations made in the book — like Murdoch being embarrassed by his own Fox News, its chief Roger Ailes, and the ridiculous conservative slant they both share — have left Murdoch fuming. And complaining, all the way to Wolff's publisher Doubleday, an imprint of Random House, a company Murdoch actually does not own. (This would've been so much easier if News Corp. owned them, instead of Bertelsmann AG. Alas.)

Except Wolff has Murdoch on tape, and there are recordings of interviews with the Aussie's children and even 99-year-old mom. Which means the book is probably based in fact. Also evidence that Wolff got it right: Murdoch and News Corp. aren't even threatening legal action.

Which leads us to believe:

Murdoch is actually pleased as punch with Wolff's book, loves how he's portrayed in it, and wants the thing to fly off shelves. Why? Because Murdoch complaining first to Wolff, and then to Wolff's publisher, reeks of egomaniac ploy. By feigning offense, Murdoch actually drives a story like this to the Times, which gives the manuscript the added — and marketable — allure of "controversial." Onlookers will wonder why Murdoch opened himself up so widely to Wolff in the first place, but Murdoch's about-face in the dealings is the grand reveal.

N.B.: Meanwhile, how did Murdoch even procure the book so far in advance? From a one Matthew Freud, the British-based PR kingpin behind Freud Communications, who happens to be married to Rupert's daughter Elisabeth, the owner of entertainment company Shine, which recently paid $100 million for Reveille, the successful production company founded by NBC's Ben Silverman. Way to score brownie points with the wife's pop, Michael.