Rupert Murdoch has announced his decision to relinquish his position as Chair of Fox Corp, assuming the honorary status of Chair-Emeritus. Consequently, his son Lachlan Murdoch will have the responsibility of overseeing the daily operations of the prominent media conglomerate.
On Thursday morning, Bill Hemmer delivered the news at the commencement of America’s Newsroom.
And we have now some personal news to share with you this morning. Our boss, Rupert Murdoch, is transitioning from chair of our parent company, Fox Corporation. In a note to employees today. He says he’s decided that in November he will move to the role of chairman emeritus at both Fox and at Fox Corp. He says going forward, his son Lachlan will be the sole chair of both companies.
In his note, Rupert Murdoch says for his entire professional life, he’s been, quote, engaged daily with news and ideas. And that will not change. And he says he will still be an active member of the Fox community, reaching out with thoughts and ideas and advice as he does every day. He goes on to say, quote, Our companies are in robust health, as am I. Our opportunities far exceed our commercial challenges. We have every reason to be optimistic about the coming years. I certainly am and plan to be here to participate in them. But the battle for the freedom of speech and ultimately the freedom of thought, he continues, has never been more intense. My father firmly believed in freedom, and Lachlan is absolutely committed to the cause, end quote.
In a news release today, Lachlan congratulated his father on his 70 year career in media. He says this We thank him for his vision and his pioneering spirit is steadfast determination and the enduring legacy he leaves of the companies he founded and countless people he has impacted, end quote. We’d like to add our gratitude as well. Rupert Murdoch created all of this and so much more across America and the globe. His life’s work has left an indelible imprint on the global media landscape. His contributions are both innumerable and extraordinary, and we thank him for letting us be a part of it all.
Thank you, Rupert. And congratulations.
Read the internal memo below:
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to let you all know that I have decided to transition to the role of Chairman Emeritus at Fox and News. For my entire professional life, I have been engaged daily with news and ideas, and that will not change. But the time is right for me to take on different roles, knowing that we have truly talented teams and a passionate, principled leader in Lachlan who will become sole Chairman of both companies.
Neither excessive pride nor false humility are admirable qualities. But I am truly proud of what we have achieved collectively through the decades, and I owe much to my colleagues, whose contributions to our success have sometimes been unseen outside the company but are deeply appreciated by me. Whether the truck drivers distributing our papers, the cleaners who toil when we have left the office, the assistants who support us or the skilled operators behind the cameras or the computer code, we would be less successful and have less positive impact on society without your day-after-day dedication.
Our companies are in robust health, as am I. Our opportunities far exceed our commercial challenges. We have every reason to be optimistic about the coming years – I certainly am, and plan to be here to participate in them. But the battle for the freedom of speech and, ultimately, the freedom of thought, has never been more intense.
My father firmly believed in freedom, and Lachlan is absolutely committed to the cause. Self-serving bureaucracies are seeking to silence those who would question their provenance and purpose. Elites have open contempt for those who are not members of their rarefied class. Most of the media is in cahoots with those elites, peddling political narratives rather than pursuing the truth.
In my new role, I can guarantee you that I will be involved every day in the contest of ideas. Our companies are communities, and I will be an active member of our community. I will be watching our broadcasts with a critical eye, reading our newspapers and websites and books with much interest, and reaching out to you with thoughts, ideas, and advice. When I visit your countries and companies, you can expect to see me in the office late on a Friday afternoon.
I look forward to seeing you wherever you work and whatever your responsibility. And I urge you to make the most of this great opportunity to improve the world we live in.
The post BREAKING: Rupert Murdoch OUT At Fox News appeared first on The Republic Brief.