Mr Rupert Murdoch, 72, says he has no intention of stepping down as head of his News Corp global media empire.
"I will be carried out," said Mr Murdoch, who last month celebrated his 50th year at the helm of the company he built up from a single newspaper into a group spanning satellite television, broadcast television, movie production and newspapers across the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe.
The birth in July of his second daughter to third wife Ms Wendi Deng had delayed "forever" any retirement plans, he told shareholders at the company's annual meeting in its hometown of Adelaide.
Mr Murdoch, who has said previously his new family has given him fresh energy, also shrugged off questions about the possible elevation of his youngest son to the head of News Corp's British pay-television network.
Although slightly hard of hearing at times, Mr Murdoch appeared to be in good health and humour during the two-hour shareholder meeting.
Speculation about his possible successor resurfaced this month after Mr Murdoch's youngest son James was controversially touted as the lead candidate for the top job at Britain's BSkyB.
Mr Murdoch said any decision on the job would not be based on his family's shareholding in the company and the "best candidate" would get the job.
The suggestion that Mr Murdoch could install his son to head BSkyB has worried shareholders that the company would lose its independence. Investors have also questioned whether 30-year-old James, who steered the group's Hong Kong-based Star TV to its first operating profit last year, had enough experience.
Flanked by older son Lachlan at the meeting, Mr Murdoch heaped praise on both his sons. Lachlan is widely seen as his most likely successor.
"So far they are showing great promise. Lachlan here on my left is supervising companies which provided 60 per cent of last year's huge operating profit. James has just turned around the single most difficult situation we had in the whole company." They are starting well, let's see."
Mr Murdoch became a father for the sixth time in July when Deng gave birth to the couple's second child Chloe. The couple already had a one-year-old daughter Grace. Mr Murdoch has four adult children.