A tour of the Northern Territory News and its new KBA Comet press was on the agenda for News Corporation chief executive Rupert Murdoch in Darwin.

He visited the News Limited plant in company with Australian chief executive Kim Williams, News Corp chief technology officer Paul Cheesbrough, Robert Thomson – who heads the new publishing company set to start operating in July – and chief of staff Natalie Ravitz.

The four-tower KBA single-width press – commissioned last year – is part of a multimillion dollar upgrade of the Darwin print facility. Equipment includes Ferag postpress and Agfa CTP. It replaced a five-unit manroland Uniman 2/2 installed in 1984.

During his visit, Rupert Murdoch urged private development of northern Australia, “provided proper infrastructure is put in place”.

"The economic opportunity, if you put the infrastructure in place, is just tremendous,'' he said.

Pictured: Rupert Murdoch and party in the Darwin pressroom. Pictures NT News