Global media tycoon Rupert Murdoch was ordered on Thursday to appear before a British judicial inquiry into the activities of the British press.

Murdoch, aged 81, is set to appear before the Leveson Inquiry, chaired by senior British judge Lord Leveson, on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

His youngest son James Murdoch, aged 39, is also set to appear before the inquiry, on Tuesday.

A full day has been set aside for James Murdoch, and Rupert Murdoch is expected to face a day and a half of questions from Lord Leveson and lawyers representing victims of the widespread phone-hacking at Murdoch-owned newspapers such as the News of the World.

Rupert Murdoch is the chairman and chief executive of the global media organization News Corporation (NC), while his son James is its deputy chief operating officer.

The Leveson Inquiry was set up by British Prime Minister David Cameron after the phone-hacking scandal that led to the closure of the News Of The World in July 2011, and has heard from more than 100 witnesses at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London since it began in November.