7am

Part 2: The fall of the Murdoch empire

Feb 23, 2025

In this engaging discussion, McKay Coppins, a staff writer at The Atlantic renowned for his investigative work on the Murdoch family, delves into the intricate dynamics of the empire. He shares insights on James Murdoch's emotional struggles regarding his father's favoritism during a pivotal Zoom call. Coppins also highlights the high-stakes legal battle over the family trust and discusses the fraught relations within the family. Additionally, he critiques Fox News from James's perspective, raising questions about the media's role in shaping legacy and democracy.

11:58

Creator website

Episode guests

McKay Coppins

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

James Murdoch's feelings of betrayal reflect deep family rifts, revealing conflicts over control and inheritance that threaten the empire's unity.

Critiquing Fox News, James advocates for stronger journalistic standards to restore credibility and integrity within the media landscape.

Deep dives

The Family Betrayal

James Murdoch expressed feelings of betrayal upon learning that his father, Rupert Murdoch, intended to change the family trust to favor his brother Lachlan. This decision, delivered during a robotic Zoom call with lawyers present, shocked James, especially since their mother had previously ensured equal shares for all four eldest children in the family business. The shift in control not only contradicted their mother's intentions but also signified a significant rift within the family. James described this revelation as a painful moment in a long history of internal family conflicts exacerbated by Rupert's divisive tactics.

Intro

3min

Emotional Tensions in a Family Court Battle

2min

Estrangement and Reformation Perspectives in Media

4min

Dynastic Turmoil in the Murdoch Family

4min

One of the cardinal Murdoch family rules is never speak about the family outside the family.

So, when journalist McKay Coppins got in touch with James Murdoch last year, he really wasn’t expecting a reply.

But Coppins was curious – what would happen to the Murdoch empire when Rupert died? And what it would mean for his youngest son, James, who was seemingly an outcast from the family?

What he didn’t yet know was there was a secret high stakes legal battle going on – and James was ready to talk.

This is part two in a two part interview.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram

Guest: Staff writer at The Atlantic, McKay Coppins

Photo: Ron Galella / Getty

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more