Overview of The making of the Fox News empire (Vox — Today, Explained rerun)
This episode traces Rupert Murdoch’s rise from an inherited Australian newspaper business to a global media empire and explains how his techniques—tabloid sensationalism, partisan programming, strategic political alliances, and aggressive corporate expansion—reshaped journalism and politics in Australia, the UK, and the United States. Through interviews with media scholars and archival examples, the show connects Murdoch’s business decisions and editorial tactics to major events (e.g., the Thatcher era, the Falklands War, News of the World phone-hacking, the creation of Fox News) and argues those moves produced lasting consequences for public discourse and democracy.
Key takeaways
- Murdoch built power by combining mass-market tabloids with elite papers, giving him influence across popular and establishment audiences.
- Sensationalism and “what sells” became guiding editorial principles—often prioritized over accuracy or ethics.
- Strategic political alliances (notably with Margaret Thatcher and later alignment with conservative American politics) amplified his influence.
- Deregulation (e.g., the end of the Fairness Doctrine) and new formats (talk-radio-style opinion on TV) enabled the creation and success of Fox News.
- Major scandals (phone hacking, the closure of News of the World, parliamentary inquiries) revealed ethical breaches but did not permanently constrain Murdoch’s reach.
- The episode frames Murdoch’s legacy as ambivalent: hugely influential commercially and politically, but widely criticized for degrading journalism and polarizing politics.
Timeline — major milestones
- 1931: Rupert Murdoch born into a media family (father Keith Murdoch was a powerful Australian newspaperman).
- 1952: Inherits a single Adelaide afternoon paper; begins aggressive expansion across Australia.
- Late 1960s–1970s: Moves into the UK; buys News of the World and The Sun, converts The Sun into a tabloid hit (Page 3 topless feature, sensational coverage).
- 1980s: Aligns with Margaret Thatcher (support for neoliberal agenda, support during Falklands War); acquires The Times and Sunday Times.
- Mid-1970s onward: Enters the U.S. market via the New York Post; develops ties to conservative politics, including Reagan-era alignment.
- 1980s–1990s: Expands into TV and film (buys 20th Century Fox, finances major films like Titanic); shifts focus to television as major profit center.
- Post-Fairness Doctrine deregulation: Helps create space for partisan radio and TV (Rush Limbaugh model inspires Fox News).
- 2000s–2010s: Launches Fox News (with Roger Ailes), hires overt opinion hosts (Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity), tabloidizes cable news.
- 2011–2012: Phone-hacking scandal: News of the World implicated for hacking royals and private citizens (Millie Dowler case); News of the World closed; Murdoch questioned by Parliament.
- 2007 onward: Acquires the Wall Street Journal, consolidating elite and mass influence.
Major tactics and strategies Murdoch used
- Tabloidization: prioritizing sensational, attention-grabbing content to drive circulation and ratings.
- Dual-track media ownership: owning both populist tabloids and prestige outlets to reach broad and elite audiences.
- Political alignment and influence: forging relationships with political leaders (Thatcher, Reagan-era conservatives) to shape policy and receive regulatory favors.
- Commodifying outrage and opinion: importing talk-radio personalities to TV, emphasizing theatrical opinion over balanced reporting.
- Aggressive business expansion and risk-taking: buying film studios, financing big-budget films, and acquiring strategic outlets (e.g., WSJ) to expand reach.
- Hardball tactics with politicians and rivals: using threatened favorable or negative coverage as leverage (“favourable publicity or a bucket of shit” anecdote).
Major controversies and consequences
- Ethical breaches: publication of fabricated materials (e.g., Hitler diaries) and prioritizing circulation over verification.
- Phone-hacking scandal: systemic illegal newsgathering by News of the World; public outrage after hacking a murdered teenager’s phone; led to closure of the paper and major reputational damage.
- Parliamentary scrutiny: Murdoch’s weakened performance before UK Parliament and findings that he was “not fit” to run companies like BSkyB (at least in committee members’ view).
- Political polarization and democratic harm: critics argue Fox News and related outlets moved news toward propaganda-style partisan messaging, fueling polarization and helping elect/empower political figures like Donald Trump.
- Durable resilience: despite scandals and criticism, Murdoch’s empire adapted and retained significant political and commercial power (e.g., owning Fox News + WSJ).
Notable quotes and moments from the episode
- “I can either give you favorable publicity or I can pour a bucket of shit on you every day. What’s it to be?” — anecdote illustrating leverage over politicians.
- “Fucking publish. Fucking publish.” — Murdoch’s reported reaction to the (fake) Hitler diaries controversy; emblematic of circulation-over-accuracy attitude.
- “This is the most humble day of my life.” — Murdoch before Parliament during the phone-hacking fallout (widely noted for the contrast between performance in public inquiry and later poise).
- Characterization: Murdoch as “Australia’s deadliest export” (attributed to former PM Malcolm Turnbull) — captures political antagonism.
Implications for media, politics, and democracy
- Consolidation of media power across formats (print, broadcast, digital) gives an owner the capacity to influence elite debate and mass opinion simultaneously.
- The shift from “tell me the news” to “tell me what to think” (opinion-first coverage) changes the function of news toward persuasion and outrage, undermining norms of impartial reporting.
- Deregulation and market incentives (ratings/ad-driven revenues) can incentivize partisan, sensationalist programming over public-interest journalism.
- Scandals can produce temporary damage and regulation pressure, but entrenched business models and diversified holdings make lasting change difficult.
Credits & production notes
- Episode: Vox — Today, Explained (rerun)
- Guests cited: Des Freedman (Goldsmiths, University of London), Matthew Ricketson (Deakin University), Graham Murdoch (Loughborough University)
- Produced by: Peter Balanon-Rosen; assistance from Jolie Myers, Denise Guerra, Laura Bullard, Patrick Boyd, Adrian Lilly, and Sean Ramos.
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