It seems all is not hunky-dory in the Murdoch family. As in the family of Rupert Murdoch, who’s empire owns Fox News. It seems a secret legal proceeding is going to take place in Nevada this month. (Maybe it already has and everyone’s waiting on the decision) that will decide the future of Fox after the family patriarch, ole Rupert himself finally shuffles off this mortal coil.
I’ll be honest. I completely missed all this as it was unfolding. Then again I think that was the point. Given the stakes I can see why Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan who was brought in to take over daily operations of the empire have wanted to keep this quiet. It could be explosive and if the old man loses in this legal proceeding ‘bigly’ changes will be in the works for Fox. And politics in this country with it. However, according to The Telegraph a real showdown is coming. Why is this showdown in the news? Well, James Murdoch who at one time seemed in line to take over U.S. operations got maneuvered out. He wasn’t a hard-core conservative and in fact had some progressive leanings. Now he’s publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for President:
James Murdoch, 51, added his name to a list of 88 US business leaders who have thrown their support behind the Democratic nominee in what they called an effort to preserve American democracy.
In a veiled attack on Donald Trump, they said Ms Harris would guarantee “fair and predictable policies that support the rule of law”.
Well, that’s news in and of itself. If one has followed the Murdoch family saga and that of James it’s not all that surprising when you think about it. However as I’ve alluded to it also calls attention to this matter that has been pretty much off everyone’s radar:
The more liberal-leaning James put his name to the list of endorsements ahead of the courtroom showdown in Nevada over the Murdoch Family Trust.
The beneficiaries of the trust are the media mogul’s four oldest children, Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan and James, who have equal voting rights to select the head of the influential Fox News in the absence of patriarch Rupert, 93.
Why is this such a potential big deal? Indulge me for a bit. If you’re a political junkie or news junkie (or both) you’ve noticed stories in recent weeks about GOP infighting. MAGAs aren’t about to abandon their Turd Emperor Trump but lots of MAGA-lite Republicans are thinking it’s time to bite the bullet and move on. Many “Independents” who left the GOP but would go back to rebuild it into something semi-sane have publicly called out Trump. Some have said they will vote third-Party or write in a name for President and some have publicly announced that this one time they will vote for a Democrat – in this case Kamala Harris. They’ve been met with less howling outrage than I would have expected which itself is a sign that a majority of the GOP is just flat worn out by Trump and MAGA. Hence the behind the scenes bickering and maneuvering we see popping up sometimes on slower news days.
Given all that ask yourself this: What if there was no Fox News blanketing conservatives (and especially MAGAs) with Trump and hard-core RWNJ bullshiite? Yes, there’s been a spat here and there with Trump over the years but in the end Fox knows where it’s money comes from. Their viewers want Trump and given all the advertisers they’ve lost during the rise of Trump they can’t afford to go alienating too much of their loyal base. It’s signficant in size and Fox is the proverbial mother ship for them. Their “go to” source. Especially those weekday evening hosts of what I call the ‘Three Hour White Power Hour’ of Opinion ‘news.” What if suddenly all that, and the folks doing the morning show at Fox weren’t there anymore? They’ll find media homes somewhere but the entire effect, the control of the conservative narrative would be diffused! It will still be there, just not in concentrated form and ‘mainlined’ into the viewer’s heads.
Now, with this story I’ve linked to it seems something REALLY serious going on in Fox News world and it’s coming to a head! Take note of that Murdoch Family Trust mentioned above. Rupert set it up to ensure control would stay in his family. He also set it up (as noted) so four of his children have equal shares. So why would he want to now go in and bust the thing up? Because while son Lachlan thinks as he does and envisions Fox News as we know it continuing to be… well Fox News James had a different vision. More importantly his sisters are in alignment with James and NOT Lachlan.
Imagine Rupert finally dying, and Lachlan Murdoch and his control of things being outvoted by his three siblings who have an equal share in what happens to Fox! It’s a tantalizing prospect to consider. Of course, so have Democrat’s fantasies about Texas turning blue in Presidential politics. Still, one never knows. This whole thing is shrouded in such secrecy it’s amazing. For me the real question is how ironclad that trust actually is and whether Murdoch can revoke it.
If he can’t I’d love to be a fly on the wall of the studio where the morning couch crew does their thing, and even more so in the dressing rooms of Laura Ingraham, Jesse Waters and Sean Hannity! Maybe can go cry with Tucker Carlson. Even with Pootie propping him up via RT Carlson simply isn’t a force anymore. I’m not about to go counting chickens but just the prospect of a Fox Network with an actual professional news division is a marvelous thing to contemplate. Not if you’re a Republican of course. THEIR suffering over not having a full-on propaganda outlet after three decades is simply a bonus. As for Rupert he reminds me of what my Granny said about her P.O.S. husband (my grandfather): “The Lord doesn’t want him and the Devil won’t have him.” Still, this might be enough his old, black heart can’t take it and the world will be rid of him. A cherry on top if you will.
The timing of all this, should the details of this double-secret-probation hearing that’s locked down like an ICBM silo become public is pretty interesting too. Just imagine news breaking that Rupert’s bid to revoke the trust has failed. And that a time will come when three of the trustees can give his “chosen one” the boot. Could make for some fun times indeed. Dare we hope to be so lucky as to have such a flaming sh*t bomb explode before the election? Fox Hosts realizing that their days are numbered?
Keep an eye on this. It could get more than a little interesting.
Interesting…a house divided… an erudite Jewish rabbi responded to the hypocritical religious leaders 2000+ years ago, when accused of being in charge of the demons he was casting out. It would be like Christmas to see that abomination snuffed out.
We don’t seem to hear too much about the fact that the Murdochs, like their fellow traveler, Musk, are immigrants.
Well, that’s because they’re the “good” kind of immigrants, the ones the Trump/MAGAt base likes: Rich and white.
The trust can be fully revocable or irrevocable (probably shades in between-it’s been a bit since I studied tax law). If tax reasons were high up on the list of reasons to consider one or the other, they would have chosen an irrevocable trust-it gets much more favorable tax treatment than the other. There are more things that figure into to all this (i.e. does the trust come into play when daddy dies or before-this is a bit important) but regardless, in a side-by-side comparison, for tax reasons you’d definitely go with an irrevocable trust. That also skews favorably with this court case. If this were a revocable trust, daddy would just change the terms of the trust. If they’re in court about it, sounds to me like he wanted his four kids to have equal shares no matter what (to protect his empire from some sort of stock/board action), wanted to accrue the tax advantages of using this type of trust vehicle, and now he doesn’t want James and his sisters buggering the whole works up (fux nuz) with things like democracy and such-like.
What I’m wondering is this-since it is likely an irrevocable trust and should he be allowed to change the terms, what tax penalties will he face? Trusts are never good things tax-wise but if for whatever reason you feel one is necessary, you go irrevocable trust. Changing over to an ordinary trust ought to come with some sort of taxes owed (big time). I hope the IRS is keeping a close eye on this case.
when I was younger and optimistic I thought the end of Rush would bring about a reduction of hate. even with the end of fox, there will be a market for hate that will go on long after I am gone.
Yup, there’s always folks out there looking for reasons and justification for hating other folks, but if (hopefully when) FUX News crumbles, them the haters will have to go looking further afield; it won’t necessarily be cables directly into their lives all day, every day.
What is RUSH? I know you don’t mean the Toronto rock band that ended less than a decade ago
Rush Limbaugh, a talk radio host who died a few years ago. He is responsible for “hate radio”.
Many a time I’ve wondered how two guys could grow up only about forty-five miles apart and fairly close in age could be sooooooo different. Then again there are a whole bunch of people from my small home town who even at my ten year reunion (the only one I’ve gone back home for as thing started changing so much and so quickly) I was on great terms with would spit on me, curse me and who knows what all because I don’t worship Trump! Someday, hopefully many years from now like everyone I’ll die. But when it comes to burying my cremated remains with my dad at Pleasant Grove the local veteran’s groups won’t have anyone present to fold my flag, or if my sister precedes me in death someone to give it to. Or to fire the volleys. Even though I’m a Past Master of my Masonic Lodge in Murphysboro (the youngest in it’s history – I finished my term a month before heading off to the Maarines at age 26) will sent four guys to give me Masonic Graveside Rites. Someone will chuck the container in the hole and that will be that. Maybe if I’m lucky someone from the cemetery will see a request to play taps on their cell phone. But I don’t count on that happening. Such is the country Trump has wrought. I’m literally not welcome in my own small hometown, even though once I wouldn’t have been able to go home and walk down Main Street without countless people stopping me so we could chat and catch up for a bit. Like I said, my name would evoke curses. But Trump, or Rush Limbaugh would be spoken with true reverence. Go figure!