NPR's David Folkenflik talks with journalist Paddy Manning about challenges ahead for the Murdoch media empire. Manning is out with a book about Rupert Murdoch's eldest son and heir apparent.
DAVID FOLKENFLIK, HOST:
It is a fraught and consequential moment for the media empire built by Rupert Murdoch. It is attempting to unravel its alliance with former President Donald Trump. The Murdochs are seeking to reunite their TV properties with their newspaper properties - think of Fox News with The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. They're defending Fox News against a pair of multibillion dollar lawsuits for defamation. And they're figuring out who leads after the 91-year-old Rupert Murdoch finally departs the scene.
The Australian journalist Paddy Manning has written the first full biography of Lachlan Murdoch - that's Rupert's elder son. Manning joins us now from Sydney, Australia. Paddy, thanks for joining us.
PADDY MANNING: Thanks for having me, David.
FOLKENFLIK: Lachlan Murdoch is the executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corp, the co-chairman of News Corp. What should we know about how he approaches leading these huge companies?
MANNING: Well, he's a very different media proprietor than his father. Lachlan, while he is clearly the designated successor and has his father's blessing to take over what will probably be, although it's not certain, a merged Fox and News Corp, I think he's not the same editorial interventionist that his father and grandfather...
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