The magnate is gone(ish) ... here’s the next magnate

So Murdoch the Eldest, after seven decades and a final year of some accountability, is finally “stepping down” from his position of what I personally consider to be evil ... to an emeritus position. That sounds ... almost good - or hopeful ... except that his successor is reportedly worse ...  and Murdoch’s views won’t change ...

After reading the links below, I consider the struggle against the anti-democratic, bigotted, fascist evil will continue to be unrelenting, although there may be some minor rearrangements in the enemy’s camp, and they will certainly try to capitalise on the change as if it was of some significance ...

See: 

• “Lachlan Murdoch takes the reins at Fox as Rupert retires”   https://www.sbs.com.au/news/podcast-episode/lachlan-murdoch-takes-the-reins-at-fox-as-rupert-retires/7tgiby7uh  
  (Senator Wong’s statement at the end of that article are blind or oblivious to the reality of what Murdoch has done - at best, they are staggeringly naïve; at worst they show political ineptness.)   
• “As Rupert Murdoch steps aside observers see Lachlan as a “considerably more brutal’ heir”   https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2023/09/22/lachlan-murdoch-rupert-murdoch/  
  
• “Lawsuits, an abandoned engagement and more lawsuits: Rupert Murdoch's 2023 hasn't been a happy one”   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-22/rupert-murdoch-last-year-as-fox-chair-has-been-difficult/102888372   
• “Power and scandal: how Murdoch drove the UK, US and Australia to the right”   https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/sep/21/power-and-scandal-how-murdoch-drove-the-uk-us-and-australia-to-the-right  
  “He built a global conservative media empire, but the phone-hacking scandal and Dominion libel action almost undid the divisive mogul”    
  
• “Rupert Murdoch’s reign at Fox News is over. But the damage he did may last forever”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/21/rupert-murdochs-reign-at-fox-news-is-over-but-the-damage-he-did-may-last-forever   
• “The Era of Rupert Murdoch, a Blight on our Heating Planet and a Fomenter of War and Racial Hatreds, is Passing”   https://www.juancole.com/2023/09/fomenter-hatreds-passing.html   
• “The Angertainer Steps Down: Rupert Murdoch’s Non-Retirement”   https://theaimn.com/the-angertainer-steps-down-rupert-murdochs-non-retirement/   
  
• “‘Our deadliest export’: Turnbull unleashes on Murdoch”   https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2023/09/22/murdoch-steps-down-news-corp/  
  See also  
  “Former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull says Rupert Murdoch’s ‘anger-tainment’ damaged the democratic world”   https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/sep/22/former-australian-pm-malcolm-turnbull-comments-rupert-murdoch  
• In an act of staggering hypocrisy, blindness, or both,
  “Rupert Murdoch says 'elites have open contempt' in parting letter to staff as he steps down”   https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/rupert-murdoch-says-elites-have-open-contempt-in-parting-letter-to-staff-as-he-steps-down/1awkpoac5  
  “In a letter Murdoch sent to staff on Thursday, he wrote “the time was right... to take on different roles”.   He thundered about elites who have “open contempt for those who are not members of their rarefied class.” His letter made it clear he doesn't consider himself one of them, despite his status as a media executive and his family’s wealth, estimated by Forbes in 2020 at about $US19 billion ($A30 billion).  He also indicated his retirement won't include much beach time.   “I can guarantee you that I will be involved every day in the contest of ideas,” he wrote.”   
• “What is a chairman emeritus?”   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-22/five-quick-questions-rupert-murdoch-retirement-media/102888336  
  “A chairman emeritus is a title given to a past chairman who remains associated with the business.   "Our companies are communities, and I will be an active member of our community.   “I will be watching our broadcasts with a critical eye, reading our newspapers and websites and books with much interest, and reaching out to you with thoughts, ideas, and advice.” ”
  
• “Lachlan Murdoch is stepping up as leader of Fox News and News Corp. What do we know about Rupert Murdoch’s son?”   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-22/who-is-lachlan-murdoch-news-corp-fox-corp-rupert/102888186  
  “According to an article in the New York Times magazine, which cited the 2016 memoir Making Headlines, by longtime editor of The Australian, Chris Mitchell, "Lachlan’s conservatism is more vigorous than that of any Australian politician".   The memoir stated that his views were usually to the right of his father’s.”   
• “What does Lachlan Murdoch’s elevation mean for News Corp in Australia?”   https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/sep/22/what-does-lachlan-murdoch-succession-rupert-mean-news-corp-australia  
  “The future of the Australian newspaper, which Rupert Murdoch launched in 1964, is less assured with Lachlan favouring Sky News Australia and Foxtel”   
• “Rupert Murdoch stepping down as head of Fox Corp., News Corp”   https://apnews.com/article/murdoch-fox-quit-emeritus-30286a4a3107b7bde612adbfc7891958   
  
• “Who are Rupert Murdoch's children? What to know about the media magnate's successor and family”   https://apnews.com/article/rupert-murdochs-children-lachlan-james-elisabeth-prudence-9f3e4b0009200110fac44f34712e322a   
• “Rupert Murdoch exit may give Trump a Fox News 'reset,' Republican strategists say”   https://www.reuters.com/world/us/rupert-murdoch-exit-may-give-trump-fox-news-reset-republican-strategists-say-2023-09-22/   
• “Murdoch Family Trust: The real battle over succession has yet to begin”   https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/murdoch-family-trust-real-battle-over-succession-has-yet-begin-2023-09-22/   
• “Who is Lachlan Murdoch? What will happen to Fox and News Corp?”   https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/who-is-lachlan-murdoch-what-will-happen-fox-news-corp-2023-09-21/   
• “Rupert Murdoch and the rise and fall of the press barons: how much power do newspapers still have?”   https://theconversation.com/rupert-murdoch-and-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-press-barons-how-much-power-do-newspapers-still-have-213283   
• “Rupert Murdoch: His Fox News legacy is one of lies, with little accountability, and political power that rose from the belief in his power − 3 essential reads”   https://theconversation.com/rupert-murdoch-his-fox-news-legacy-is-one-of-lies-with-little-accountability-and-political-power-that-rose-from-the-belief-in-his-power-3-essential-reads-214038   
• “Why is Rupert Murdoch stepping aside now and what does it mean for the company?”   https://theconversation.com/why-is-rupert-murdoch-stepping-aside-now-and-what-does-it-mean-for-the-company-214141   
• “The Murdoch story is the endless pursuit of control, power and profit – Rupert’s resignation is unlikely to change that”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/25/rupert-murdoch-new-corp-exit  
  

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

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