It is said that the greatest trick the devil has ever played is convincing everyone that he does not exist. The greatest empire ever built went further - convincing the world it was simply reflecting reality, not distorting it. The Murdoch empire is one that sprawls beyond the domains of the Roman empire; dwarfing the Ottoman empire; and reaching even where Alexander the Great could not. However, it is in times of succession that the most violent battles are fought: brothers become enemies, and bloodied hands reach for weapons. It is in times of succession that empires fall.

The Murdoch Dynasty controls politics by controlling perception. With Fox Corporation and News Corp being the tip of the iceberg, their monopoly over media equips them with a tool to uplist or destroy anyone in their path. Unlike most journalism houses, the Murdoch empire spans across three continents, dominating the media in each. In the United States, Fox News doesn’t just report on the Republican Party; it controls it by choosing what issues to highlight, thereby influencing voter demands. And its political influence does not end there. No British Prime Minister since the seventies has won an election without the support of Murdoch-controlled newspapers, i.e., The Sun or The Times. 

For decades, Rupert has pitted his children against one another in a brutal game, the prize of which is the Murdoch empire. And now, at the end of his reign, he faces the consequences of that competition. Internally, factions within the family are trying to undo what Rupert believes is the very foundation of the conglomerate: its radicalism. Externally, foreign competitors are preying on its collapse, waiting to annex parts of the empire. With the swirl of scandal surrounding the family, the game of succession has already begun.

It all begins with Trust. Anna Murdoch attempted to make the struggle so that the least blood would be spilled. During her divorce, she set up a trust. Each of the Murdoch children would attain equal power over the empire, with Rupert Murdoch having the overriding vote. Anna thought it would ease the war of succession; however, it only made it bloodier. The Murdoch family soon split into an ideological battle. James and the other siblings wanted to shift the company from its distinctly conservative and right-leaning editorial stance, closely aligned with the views of Rupert and Lachlan, towards more moderate and progressive views. This could lead to a massive fragmentation of right-wing news, shifting it to more radical and uncontrolled platforms and, according to critics, the financial decline of the company. And with elections being held the following year, it has never been more important for the political megaphone, that is the empire, to be in the hands of someone who knows how to wield its power. If Rupert lost this war, his empire would be pillaged - overrun by the ‘establishment’, and his cultivated brand of conservatism would begin to burn.

Yet, Rupert had no intention of being consumed by the flames….

The committee begins with the introduction of Project Family Harmony - Rupert’s strategy that ensures that the empire never leaves his grasp by placing it in the hands of his eldest son, the one who will maintain it, but never wield it against him. If “Project Family Harmony” came to fruition, the remaining children would be stripped of their equal voting powers. They will be forced to lose their royal status and have menial influence over the empire’s affairs. 

Tech titans like Apple and Amazon are anticipating for the Murdoch siblings to reach a stalemate so they can swoop in and secure a payout, which could, in turn, completely nullify editorial judgment and reshape media to fit “algorithm” standards. Another fear is if the “Hard News” assets are seen as too expensive, they may be stripped of their resources, therefore threatening investigative journalism as a whole. As for rival media houses, hedge funds, and foreign states, the water has been coloured red with the blood of the Murdochs, and it is the most opportune time to act. For if they act now, they might just win an empire. 

History is unambiguous: the greatest dynasties are not undone by their enemies, but by their heirs. Now the Murdoch empire that controls minds, markets, and the political narrative, stands at its moment of reckoning. As Rupert Murdoch seeks to dictate succession and impose order upon ambition, he only invites chaos into the domains of his kingdom. Enemies are preparing their troops for annexation, and for the first time there is a glimmer of hope that the Murdoch dynasty could be overthrown with its empire remaining in foreign hands. 

The Murdoch empire will not be inherited. It will be conquered by he who covets it most dearly.