edia mogul Rupert Murdoch announced in late September that he was stepping down as chairman of his companies, Fox and News Corp, handing the roles over to his eldest son, Lachlan, in mid-November, ending the real-life season of Succession.

While he is set to be around as chairman emeritus, this shift represents a significant change for a man who has held substantial sway over British and American media and politics for several decades. Known for his polarising presence, Murdoch even served as an inspiration for the patriarch of a media empire in the hit TV show Succession, where a family grapples with power dynamics remarkably similar to the Murdochs’.

Rupert Murdoch’s family legacy can be traced back to his father, Sir Keith Murdoch (1886–1952), a renowned Australian war correspondent and publisher. Following his father’s passing, Rupert returned to Australia in 1954 to take charge of his inheritance, including the Sunday Mail and The News, both based in Adelaide. He transformed The News into a publication known for its scandalous stories, often crafting its provocative headlines himself.

By 1964, he had acquired newspapers in every Australian state and was in the process of launching The Australian, the nation’s first-ever national broadsheet. He was also eyeing expansion into the UK market, a goal that had eluded his father.

In 1968, Murdoch made a significant entry into the British media landscape by acquiring The News of the World. This initial purchase, followed by his acquisition of The Sun newspaper, would prove to be a game-changer.

The Sun, transformed into a tabloid, enjoyed tremendous circulation thanks to its sensational and provocative content. Murdoch expanded his media empire to the United States, establishing a foothold in 1976 with the New York Post.

Murdoch’s journey into television brought about a revolution. He launched the satellite TV service Sky in the UK, which later acquired its rival, BSB, and secured the rights to broadcast English football’s Premier League in 1992.

In 1985, News Corp’s purchase of 20^th Century Fox established Fox as the fourth major American television network, complemented by a Hollywood movie studio. Fox’s shows, such as the iconic Simpsons series, gained worldwide popularity and Fox News emerged as a platform for a populist, right-leaning perspective in American TV news.

Although by the late 1980s, his media empire had accumulated substantial debts, it managed to survive. The business diversified further, with Murdoch turning HarperCollins into a leading book publisher and acquiring Star TV in Hong Kong, with broadcasts across Asia.

In 2019, Murdoch sold a significant portion of Fox’s assets to Disney for $71.3 billion, including the movie studio, FX, National Geographic Networks and its stake in Star India.

In 2011, investigations determined that News of the World employees had systemically hacked into the phones of politicians, celebrities and the British royal family, including murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, relatives of deceased British soldiers and victims of the July 7, 2005, London bombings, to produce exclusive features. This led to the newspaper’s closure after 168 years of publication and a public apology.

People in Pakistan were introduced to the newspaper in 2010 when News of the World reporter and undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood posed as a “Fake Sheikh” to expose a cricket bookie named Mazhar Majeed who claimed that Pakistani cricketers would commit spot-fixing for money. He gave them proof by setting up no-balls by Pakistani bowlers during Pakistan’s 2010 tour of England.

In November 2011, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were found guilty by a London court on criminal charges relating to spot-fixing. Mohammad Amir and Majeed had entered guilty pleas on the same charges.

Rupert Murdoch’s legacy remains a subject of debate. Some argue that he made significant contributions, such as preserving media diversity by rescuing The Times newspapers and enabling newspapers to trim expenses by defeating print unions, thus enhancing their adaptability in the digital age. On the other hand, he has been accused of having too much control over narrative building via his diverse media empire and his influence on politics.

Murdoch himself was courted by potential prime ministers and presidents who believed that his blessings could make or break their electoral chances. It is reported that In July 1995, the already popular Tony Blair flew 25 hours to the other side of the world to make his case to Rupert Murdoch. This shows the sway Murdoch has held over leaders in Britain and in his native Australia for decades. He has been accused of overseeing “a culture of disinformation, bullying, misogyny, homophobia and racism” and having “an entirely negative impact on British culture and British democracy.”

On the other side of the world, Murdoch’s Fox organisation disrupted the journalism industry and brought about lasting changes to the norms of public discourse. It also played a significant role in Donald Trump’s election in 2016.

Fox positioned itself as a groundbreaking alternative to the ‘mainstream’ media, promoting a perception of fairness, balance and a less elitist approach. However, to maintain its audience, the channel started to stretch the boundaries of acceptable public discourse, occasionally normalising ideas that were previously considered nonsensical.

Fox News provided a consistent platform for Donald Trump to promote false claims about Barack Obama’s birthplace, including racist allegations. It immersed its audience in a frenzied, alternate reality where all conventional sources of information were viewed with suspicion, a mindset that paved the way for Trump’s ascent.

Following Trump’s defeat in 2020, Fox continued to propagate his baseless claims of a stolen election, actions that contributed to the events of January 6 and ultimately cost Fox nearly $800 million in a settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.

During pre-trial testimony, Rupert Murdoch conceded that prominent Fox personalities had knowingly disseminated falsehoods about election fraud during the 2020 presidential election on their shows.

Rupert Murdoch maintained close relationships with his children, with Lachlan poised to assume leadership of Fox and News Corp. His daughter, Elisabeth, and son, James, have held prominent positions within his media empire, although James resigned as a News Corp director in 2020. Rupert may be stepping back at the age of 92, but he is unlikely to retire to a life of leisure. He is expected to continue exerting influence on his media conglomerate, overseeing his son Lachlan’s leadership and guiding the empire’s future.

The writer is a digital communication expert and consultant currently working in the public sector. He is the mastermind behind the digital platforms, Sukhan, Mani’s Cricket Myths and Over The Line