Murdoch family divided as News Corporation crisis comes to a head

[malaise]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/02/murdochs-divided-news-corporation-crisis
<snip>

James Murdoch had been seen as the undisputed heir to his father's media empire, until the phone-hacking scandal erupted. But as the younger Murdoch faces the prospect of his evidence to parliament being called into question by former colleagues on Tuesday, there are growing doubts coming from inside his family about his suitability for the top position at News Corporation.

The immediate cause of the rift stems from what insiders call "a big family row" at the height of the crisis in July, the week after the News of the World closed. Members of the Murdoch clan descended on the company's Wapping headquarters in London to work out their battle plan, but within days Elisabeth Murdoch, James's sister, had walked out, because in the words of one observer who asked not to be named, "she had had enough of it all".

It was James who had emerged as the obvious successor from the moment Rupert parachuted him in to run BSkyB in 2003. With Rupert's age telling, James was asked to relocate from London to the company's headquarters in New York this year, in what was widely seen as the last move before taking over at the top.

However, that ascent is no longer guaranteed. On Tuesday, Colin Myler, the former NoW editor and Tom Crone, the Sun and NoW's former chief lawyer, will give evidence to the culture, media and sport select committee, at which attention will fall on a critical 15-minute meeting the two men had with James Murdoch in 2008.

[ixion]

1. but not so divided that Rupert didn't get his bonus

just sayin'....

[malaise]

2. I noticed that

They really are the quintessence of scumbags :hi:

[ixion]

10. Indeed they are...

:hi:

[dynasaw]

6. And Don't Forget the Shark Wife

[KharmaTrain]

3. The Vultures Are Circling...

Several years ago I read a fascinating article on the ins and outs of the Murdoch family including the daughter who looks like she'll be James worst nightmare. Different children from different wives makes for a lot of animosity...especially when there's lots of money involved. As long as the machine chugged along no one dared to question Rupert or James...but the NoW scandal is starting to open up rifts that were used by the senior Murdoch to keep his empire on edge. His poor handling of this situation has paralyzed the company and James doesn't have either the chops or the skill to keep his father's byzantine game going. So soon we'll see the money grab...the profitable parts of the company will be sold or pried away (BSkyB) and the Murdochs gone from the empire they formed. Who takes over? That's the intriguing part...

[malaise]

4. I just want the enpire to crash and burn

The brand is severely damaged but I want more :hi:

[blogslut]

12. James, Elisabeth and Lachlan all have the same mother

Prudence is Rupert's oldest child from his first wife, Patricia Booker.

Elisabeth, Lachlan and James are children from his second wife, Anna Torv.

He has two young children (Grace and Chloe) from his third wife, Wendi Deng.

http://www.nndb.com/people/420/000023351/

[YellowRubberDuckie]

5. What kind of sociopathic father sets his kids up to take the fall...

....for something that is ultimately HIS responsibility?
Douche bag.

[PassingFair]

7. Sounds familiar....

[ixion]

11. uh, a sociopathic one?

:shrug:

[UTUSN]

8. Will they hand it all over to AILES? Even the Roman Empire & Vatican let non-Italians rule. n/t

[malaise]

9. Hopefully he'll be exposed

for treason