MURDOCH's Empire Breaks Up - Who Gets It---QVC or (Gasp!) Roger AILES!

[UTUSN]

Relax. "Expanded role" doesn't equate with the-whole-ball-of-wax, but AILES taking all the t.v. side of things means Faux will not be out of our hair.

*******QUOTE*******

Why Lachlan Murdoch quit his job at News Corporation
New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/01/business/media/01murdoch.html?

.... The chief issue was Lachlan's feeling, which he expressed to several people close to him, that his father interfered in his business dealings and undermined him, particularly over the last 18 to 24 months ....

The media baron's succession plans call for the News Corporation president and chief operating officer, Peter Chernin, to assume the chief executive's job if Rupert Murdoch were no longer able, but to cede to one of Mr. Murdoch's children when the board considered one of them ready. Now, Mr. Chernin could end up playing a greater role at the company than previously envisioned.

There is also a possibility that Roger Ailes, who built the Fox News Channel and is a close ally of the elder Mr. Murdoch, will now have an expanded role in the company. Mr. Ailes, now the chairman and chief executive of Fox News, has told company executives that he would be interested in assuming oversight of the 35 TV stations owned and operated by Fox that had reported to Lachlan. ....

Mr. Chernin as an astute politician who has always understood that he is working for a family business and, while sometimes disagreeing with Mr. Murdoch, has earned his professional regard. For example, although Mr. Murdoch holds strong conservative political views that are often expressed in such media outlets as the New York Post and the London Times newspapers as well as Fox News Channel, Mr. Chernin is an active supporter of Democratic causes. ....



http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1539998,00.html

Murdoch dynasty 'will end'

Empire likely to be broken up after founder's death, says former lieutenant

Richard Wray
Monday August 1, 2005
The Guardian

.... The prediction by Andrew Neil, the ex-Sunday Times editor, follows the decision by Rupert Murdoch's eldest son, Lachlan, to leave his job as News Corp's deputy chief operating officer to return to Australia. This has prompted speculation that his younger brother, James, BSkyB's chief executive, will now inherit the business when his father dies. ....

Mr Neil warned yesterday that the media empire, which encompasses newspapers to a Hollywood studio, is much more likely to be broken up when the founder dies. Waiting in the wings is John Malone, the cable magnate whose Liberty Media group last year built up a stake of just under 20% in News Corp.

Industry experts believe Mr Malone, whose assets include the home shopping channel QVC and half of the Discovery television channels, is interested in cherry-picking News Corp assets and will move to prevent any Murdoch heir assuming his father's mantle. ....

********UNQUOTE*******

[Swamp Rat]

1. No matter what, it'll be run by reptiles.

[KharmaTrain]

2. Faux And Other Networks Will Collapse Under Their Own Largess

It's already happening. Disney is looking to dump radio stations, Infinity is not far behind and neither is Cheap Channel. They spent billions on licenses and to gain a monopoly only to find out that it's no fun having a monopoly when you can't monopolize...they destroyed much of commercial radio...eliminating thousands of jobs and still many stations are either losing money or barely meeting their nut. While it's great to excite investors with the riches of hundreds of stations, they forget about the problems many of this operations have and only make matters worse when they downsize things.

But then media is changing...and some don't quite like that. Satellite, Wi-Fi and Podcasting will replace conventional radio in a couple years...making all those big money properties like owning vinyl factories the day CDs came out. Television isn't far behind.

Advertising revenues have been depressed for the past couple years and this is starting to have an effect on the big companies. They have amassed large debts in their buying frenzies and the bills keep piling up while the revenues to pay off the debts get smaller. You can only show so many reruns or cut jobs until other things have to go.

Time/Warner already got bit by their ill-fated marriage with AOL...and still hasn't financially recovered. News Corp. is spread all over the place and looks like there's gonna be a battle over the over-the-air networks vs. Faux Noise (Ailes) and other companies continue to they to patch up their sinking ships...hoping for a big advertising bonanaza like the late 90's (remember all the dot coms??) that inflated revenues and sale prices at the time.

Oh well...I knew there was a reason I didn't want to be anywhere near this stuff a few years ago.

[UTUSN]

3. Farewell Kick n/t

[Gold Metal Flake]

4. Is Rupert ill?

...or just aging?

[UTUSN]

5. Just Old, But Sonny Boy Quit, and Before This Older Daughter Quit

So who's going to get it?

[SoCalDem]

6. Ailes will probably croak before Murdoch

He does not look the picture of health to me :evilgrin: