Rupert Murdoch under fire for racially insensitive tweet

News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch has come under fire on social media after making a racially insensitive tweet.

Mr Murdoch struck a wrong note minutes ago after offering his opinion on the casting controversy surrounding the 2014 film 'Exodus: Gods and Kings'.

Under his authenticated Twitter handle @rupertmurdoch, the media mogul wrote: "Moses film attacked on Twitter for all white cast. Since when are Egyptians not white? All I know are."

Predictably, the tweet went down like a tonne of bricks, but still determined to get his point across Mr Mudoch followed the original tweet with: "Everybody-attacks last tweet. Of course Egyptians are Middle Eastern, but far from black. They treated blacks as slaves."

Twitter was quick to point out Mr Murdoch's error, with user @mandystadt replying: "5th-century BC Greek historian. Y'know, the one who observed Egyptians to be black."

After a barrage of criticism, which included some users telling Mr Murdoch to "drop dead", the News Corp chairman relented, tweeting: "Okay, there are many shades of colour. Nothing racist about that, so calm down!"