Viewers of “Succession” are thrust into the high stakes. The world of managing a media empire, with all the covert transactions, coup attempts, and sensational scandals that go along with it.
The award-winning series’ actors and writers insist that the characters are based on a wide range of family-run dynasty businesses. Both past and present, and will fight for more statues at Monday’s Emmy Awards. The writers drew inspiration from “renowned media dynasties like the Hearsts. Through Robert Fitz of Comcast, Murdoch, Robert, and Rebekah Mercer, and contemporary Redstone established Breitbart.” According to showrunner Jesse Armstrong in a behind-the-scenes interview.
The actual Murdochs, the family of Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch. It seems to share the most traits with the fictional Murdochs. Fictitious Roys is led by patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox). Who serves as CEO of media and entertainment giant Waystar Royco.
A patriarchal family-owned company
The premise of the show, which airs on HBO, is a Warner Bros.-own channel like CNN. The Murdoch playbook is nearly copied in Discovery.
Logan Roy, a cunning businessman, and ally of presidents, definitely exudes a Murdochian air.
Rupert Murdoch built one of the most influential conservative media empires in history. From the modest newspaper business, he inherited from his father in 1952. With a market value of $13.50 billion, News Corp. is one of the most powerful corporations in the world.
He never designated a successor despite having always intended to leave his business to one of his children.
family composition
Murdoch has numerous offspring from two marriages, just like Roy does.
Rupert’s oldest child from his first marriage is Prudence Macleod. Prudence mostly kept out of the succession dispute between her brothers. Because she never demonstrated any interest in leading the family firm.
Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch’s eldest child from his second marriage. Advanced swiftly through the ranks to take the helm of News Ltd. in 1997.
Then, in 2005, he abruptly resigned after a dispute with Roger Ailes, CEO of Fox News Channel. On the direction of the cable news network, thus taking himself off the heir apparent track. At the time, his father had referred to Lachlan as “the first among equals.” It is his apparent heir.” In 2014, Lachlan rejoined the family company.
James Murdoch, the youngest son of Rupert Murdoch, is also a family member. He left Harvard in 1995 to launch his own hip-hop record company.
After Lachlan Murdoch left News Corporation in 2005, James Murdoch joined the company and came to be seen as the new heir apparent. However, he resigned in 2011 due to a scandal involving phone hacking. After a sabbatical of several years, he departed from the family firm in 2020 due to “disagreements over certain editorial content produced by the Company’s news outlets and various other strategic decisions,” after a sabbatical of several years.
The only child of their father’s second marriage is Elisabeth Murdoch
She is highly clever and sophisticated. Elisabeth is described as “perhaps the most like Rupert” by Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times in the upcoming Lachlan, his presumed heir, “the first among equals.” debuts on CNN on September 25 at 9 p.m. ET.
According to Sky High author Mathew Horsman in the series, Rupert Murdoch has dismissed her attempts to ascend to the kingdom, suggesting she should decide how many children she wants before making plans for further progress within the corporation.
She started one of the largest independent production firms in the UK in 2000 after leaving the family business.
Logan Roy has four children in “Succession.” Alan Ruck’s eldest character, Connor Roy, primarily disengages from the business and recently set his sights on the president. After receiving several punches, Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong), who at first appears to be his father’s heir apparent, loses his father’s favor.
Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin), the sharp-witted youngest member of the Roy family, has struggled to establish himself as the best. While Siobhan (or Shiv) of Sarah Snook has the abilities and her father’s support (even though they are in enmity), she has encountered opposition.
The network and media industry
Waystar Royco from “Succession” and News Corp. from Rupert Murdoch overlap in numerous ways.
On “Succession,” Waystar Royco’s holdings include ATN, the program’s alternative to Fox News, a conservative cable news network.
Logan Roy discusses that the network covers the White House and flexes its muscles in his access with the president and his advisors throughout the series.
According to Jonathan Mahler, co-author of “How Rupert Murdoch’s Empire of Influence Remade the World,” Fox News is an instrument of influence for Rupert Murdoch when discussing The Empire of Influence of the Murdochs.
Mahler continues, “Rupert had always dreamed of being friends with an American President.” adds Mahler.
serious scandal
Season 2 of “Succession”, reveals Waystar’s cruise ship business. It suppressed internal allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and potential murder. Kendall Roy’s quest for power continued. After the controversy prompted Logan Roy and him to testify before a US congressional subcommittee.
The mess is comparable to the News Corp. hacking disaster from 2011. When it discovered that reporters were breaking into the phones of royalty, famous people, and victims of crime collecting their stories. The company’s British daily, News of the World, came under fire. Rupert Murdoch and his son James gave testimony. Before the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee of Parliament, which is a mirror image of the program.
As a result, James lost his position as executive chairman of News Corp.’s UK publishing division.
Mahler adds, “You would think a father’s instinct in a circumstance like this would be to protect his son. But James is truly thrown under the bus by his father. “For him, it’s a humiliating and devastating time.”
dividing up the empire
Selling off their independently built empires. A feat accomplished. By both Rupert and Logan, that astounded everyone.
In the Season 3 conclusion, Logan reveals his intention to hand over the management of Waystar Royco to tech entrepreneur Lukas Matsson. To sell the company to the streaming service GoJo.
“Now is the ideal time to sell. What’s the point of anything if I don’t always get the most outstanding deal? Logan informed his kids, “I don’t leave. I leave $5 billion on the table. “Build your stack. This is a chance for you youngsters to learn in the real world.
2018 saw Rupert opt to cash out by selling a large portion of 21st Century Fox to Disney.
“Fox reduces to a shell of its former existence after the Disney merger is completed. The film studio is gone. As were cable networks like FX. According to Matthew Belloni, Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Sports, and Fox News remained of The Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Sports, and Fox News left to him. After he left The Hollywood Reporter and Puck News.
According to Rudenberg, this action view as a vote of no confidence in his children.
Rupert “left his family just as torn up as his firm. When he sold to Disney, making his family and his business his priority, claimed Rutenberg. It tore apart by this protracted succession dispute that appeared to be a zero-sum struggle for their father’s love.
Presently, Lachlan Murdoch leads Fox Corporation as CEO, with his father serving as co-chairman. Elisabeth and James both departed the family business.
As the show’s fourth season begins, the future of Logan’s children is incredibly uncertain.
No date for the premiere is made public.
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