Conrad Black told the story over the weekend of how Rupert Murdoch positively delighted in the death of Robert Maxwell. The former Telegraph proprietor, while no fan of Maxwell, did not relish the thought of his competitor floating, dead, in the sea. “I do,” said Murdoch.
Among proprietors there is an unwritten code, that while they do not exactly go out of their way to embrace each other, neither do they go personally hostile. Clearly, Murdoch, who had been Maxwell’s head-to-head rival for years as The Sun took on The Mirror, saw things differently. He was that ruthless and unforgiving.
Now that the veteran Australian has announced he is becoming chairman emeritus of Fox and News Corporation, and that his son, Lachlan, will be in charge, the question being asked by Murdoch’s workers is does Lachlan have the cojones, does he possess that streak so evident in his father?
The time-honoured North of England saying is clogs to clogs in three generations. It’s easy to forget, such has been the prolonged duration of Rupert, at 92 and after 70 years at the helm of his newspaper and broadcasting combine, that we’re still on the second.
Sir Keith Murdoch was the founder, then his son, Rupert, took the family business on, and some. Now, hail Lachlan. At 52, Lachlan is no callow youth projected into the hot seat — not as Rupert was, when Keith died when he was just 21. Neither, though, is Lachlan tried and tested in the field of battle. Lachlan does not bear the scars. His medals’ drawer is empty.
Whereas Rupert is passionate about newspapers, being an inky through and through, loving the process of turning trees into a vital source of information and entertainment, enjoying seeing his journalists produce scoops and splashes, adoring the tactile feel of paper between his fingers, by sharp contrast Lachlan has displayed relatively little interest in them, particularly in the British titles.
For Lachlan it’s been about the TV, and Fox especially. Here, as well, his degree of immersion is hard to call. Fox News has USA, USA! constantly filling its veins; most recently Lachlan has been living in Australia.
Fox, a cable channel, is struggling. For years it rode on the coat-tails of the ascending Donald Trump, sharing his views, promoting him incessantly. The Biden reign has been more difficult, as Trump has retreated to Florida and does not command attention the same.
His biggest supporter at Fox, Tucker Carlson, has gone. Murdoch was not happy with the station’s more extreme views (nor certainly have been Lachlan’s siblings, James and Elisabeth). The old man, too, is no admirer of Trump, the pragmatism that saw his 24-hour TV news channel cheer him on has given way to the realisation that the former president is unfit to lead Murdoch’s adopted great nation. For his part,
Trump too has got used to not needing Fox. If he does emerge as the presidential candidate once more, will Trump still rely on Fox or will his tight, loyal followers look elsewhere, to social media and forums, for their brand of blinkered, unalloyed hate-speak?
It’s hard to conceive Lachlan sharing that never-ending determination to expose and provoke, and sell copies. Will Lachlan offload the newspapers? Will he focus on Fox, his natural alma mater, but if so, to what result? Will the spurned brother and sisters exercise their rights on Murdoch’s death and demand an equal say in the business?
Which leaves Fox, now in theory, run by Lachlan, with an identity crisis. Does his new toy have a place, one that is profitable, any more?
His father revelled in influencing politics, playing the role of kingmaker. While in London, he would appear in the offices and hold meetings with his editors and managers, he also held court. Senior politicians would queue to seek his blessing.
It’s difficult to imagine the unknown Lachlan doing the same. Murdoch snr went to university in Britain, he grew to know the nuances of its class system, could tell immediately when he was being fed a line, had an uncanny knack of spotting and backing a winner.
He comfortably straddled the tabloid end of the market and the broadsheets. What united them was their quest for news, for stories and readers and sales. He was never happier than talking to his staff as the edition neared completion, challenging them on their front-page choices. That was true, as well, of his papers in the US and Australia.
The thought of him causing political leaders and members of the elite to choke on their breakfasts as they studied his latest offering is what drove him the most. Again, it’s hard to conceive Lachlan sharing that never-ending determination to expose and provoke, and sell copies. Will Lachlan offload the newspapers? Will he focus on Fox, his natural alma mater, but if so, to what result? Will the spurned brother and sisters exercise their rights on Murdoch’s death and demand an equal say in the business?
So, more than one question, plenty, prompted by Murdoch’s retirement. As the implications of his move have sunk in, and the thought of a future without him dawns, staff found themselves increasingly seeking comfort in his parting missive, that for the time being he is going to be very much around.
While the thought of him continuing to arrive, unannounced at the offices fills them with fear, it is also better than the alternative, which is no one called Murdoch, who understands their trade frontwards and backwards, showing up at all. For now, they’re enormously glad he is not going very far.
