Media industry pundits have labelled Sir Keith Murdoch ahead of his time following the discovery of a heretofore-unknown recording.

The father of media mogul Sir Rupert Murdoch, Keith Murdoch is heard speaking, at the launch of radio station 3LK on January 4, 1937, about the necessary convergence of broadcast radio and print. Media industry watchers have drawn parallels between this speech and the current converging media landscape.

This evening marks an important development in our companys work – the Melbourne Herald was one of the first newspapers in the world to develop the theory that newspaper work and broadcasting could be joined to the advantage of all concerned, Murdoch says.

Commenting on public broadcasting and the ABC, Murdoch goes on to explain the cost of 3LK: hey all go to you free over the air because we get none of the listening fees you pay.

While I have no way of confirming with absolute certainty that this is the only extant recording of Sir Keith, I can confirm that neither the ABC nor the National Film and Sound Archive hold any other recordings by him, said Simon Drake, a spokesman for the National Film and Sound Archive.

It is therefore of considerable historic significance, particularly as he makes reference to the merging of his publishing and broadcasting interests.