News Broadcasting
James Murdoch in talks to buy New York magazine and Vox podcasts for $300m
The youngest Murdoch may be building a media empire of his own, just not his father’s kind
NEW YORK: James Murdoch is eyeing a piece of American media — and this time it has nothing to do with Fox News. His investment company, Lupa Systems, is in talks to acquire New York magazine and Vox Media’s podcast network for $300m or more, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. Whether other bidders are in the frame remains unclear.
Vox Media has been exploring a sale of itself in whole or in parts, a reflection of the punishing environment battering digital media businesses. For Murdoch, 53, the assets represent something more strategic: a meaningful foothold in the American media market, built entirely on his own terms.
New York magazine’s portfolio is substantial. Alongside the flagship print title, it runs some of the most-read websites in the country, including The Cut, Vulture, and Intelligencer. Vox’s podcast network adds dozens of original programmes to the mix, among them Pivot, hosted by Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, and Today, Explained, a popular daily news show.
The acquisition would sit alongside Lupa Systems’ existing media interests, which include stakes in the Tribeca Film Festival and a major entertainment producer in India.
The younger Murdoch’s politics are a world away from the family business. He served as chief executive of 21st Century Fox until 2019 before breaking with the family empire in 2020, resigning from the board of Fox Corp over deep disagreements with the editorial direction of his father’s brands. He has since become a prominent Democratic donor, his politics widely viewed as considerably more moderate than those of his father, Rupert Murdoch, the right-wing media mogul who controls Fox News, the New York Post, and a string of outlets worldwide. The elder Murdoch, incidentally, owned New York magazine from 1976 to 1991.
The deal talks were first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Vox Media did not respond to a request for comment.
A Murdoch buying New York magazine from a family that once owned it is either a neat piece of history repeating itself — or a son making very clear he has chosen a different side.
