Rupert Murdoch’s parting blast at self-serving elites – and a rallying cry for free speech as he announces he will step down as chairman of Fox and NewsCorp after 70 years
Rupert Murdoch’s farewell blast against self-interested elites – and a rallying cry for free speech as he announces he will step down as chairman of Fox and NewsCorp after 70 years
- Media mogul claimed that they are trying to silence those who disagree with them
Free speech is under threat from elites and bureaucrats, Rupert Murdoch warned in his resignation letter yesterday.
The media mogul claimed they were trying to silence those who disagreed with them.
He said that despite stepping down as chairman of Fox Corporation, he would be “engaged in the battle of ideas every day.”
Mr. Murdoch’s combative tone surprised some as he finally relinquished day-to-day control of his media empire.
The rest of the letter had a more farewell feel and involved thanking Fox staff, including “the truck drivers who handed out our papers” and “the cleaners who toiled after we left the office.”
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch claimed elites and bureaucrats were trying to silence those who disagreed with them
Mr. Murdoch’s combative tone surprised some as he finally relinquished day-to-day control of his media empire. Pictured: Rupert Murdoch and son Lachlan Murdoch, who replaces him as chairman of Fox and NewsCorp
But it seemed to demonstrate a hostile attitude toward the establishment that has not diminished with age.
In his letter, Mr Murdoch warned that ‘the battle for freedom of expression and ultimately freedom of thought has never been so intense’.
He has previously spoken out against what he called “terribly woke orthodoxy.”
He wrote that his father “firmly believed in freedom” and that his son Lachlan was “absolutely committed to the cause.” Mr Murdoch said: ‘Self-focused bureaucracies seek to silence those who question their origins and purpose. Elites have open contempt for those who are not members of the rarefied class.
“Most media are in cahoots with these elites and push political stories instead of pursuing the truth.
‘In my new role I can guarantee you that I will be involved in the ideas competition every day.’
The tone left Fox insiders ‘mildly shocked’ that Mr Murdoch went out in such a manner, which the US website Daily Beast called ‘barn burning’. A former Fox News executive said the “combative tone was a bit of a surprise.”
Mr Murdoch made clear in the letter that he was in “robust health” and would be an “active member” of the News Corp community. He added: ‘I will watch our broadcasts with a critical eye, read our newspapers, websites and books with great interest and contact you with thoughts, ideas and advice.’
Mr Murdoch’s comments provoked sharp reactions from some observers. Angelo Carusone, of media watchdog Media Matters, described his legacy as “a legacy of deceit, destruction and death.”