Inside the Murdoch Family Drama: McKay Coppins on Betrayals, Fox News, and the Future of the Empire

Few journalists capture power struggles with the depth and nuance of McKay Coppins. A staff writer at The Atlantic, Coppins has built a reputation for penning penetrating profiles of some of America's most powerful figures.

His latest blockbuster? An unprecedented look inside the world of James Murdoch, the estranged son of Rupert Murdoch, who has distanced himself from the right-wing media empire he once helped expand.

Over the last year, Coppins gained remarkable access to James and Kathryn Murdoch at a moment when the family was in turmoil, peeling back the layers of private grievances, ideological battles, and corporate maneuvering that define Murdochworld. His piece offers rare insight into James’ views on Fox News, his family’s legacy, and what might come next when Rupert Murdoch is no longer at the helm.

In our conversation, Coppins detailed how he landed the story, what surprised him most, and where the Murdoch saga goes from here. Below is the unedited Q&A.

Tell us the backstory. How did you gain this unprecedented access into Murdochworld?

I'd never met James, but he seemed like he fit the mold of a subject I've always been drawn to—someone who'd been on the inside, seen a lot, but had never really told his stories. (Mitt Romney, the subject of my most recent book, also fits into this category.)

I pitched James on a series of in-depth interviews, and was honestly sort of surprised that he went for it. As it turned out, his family was in the midst of this private meltdown, and he and Kathryn were feeling the need to tell their story.

What was the most challenging part of reporting this story? How do you approach your job as a journalist when delving into a family’s personal secrets and inner workings?

One challenge was just logistical: Because so much of what we were talking about was embargoed and sensitive, we had to keep the circle of people who knew about the story tight—basically a small group of editors, and that's it.

The other challenges were more common for a story like this. I knew the stuff I was getting from them was "good material"—interesting, newsy, in the public interest, etc. But when I stepped back, I also felt like this was a profoundly sad story on some level. I wanted to convey that in the profile while also being as accurate, nuanced, and fair to all parties as possible. That's where it helped to work with the best editors, researchers, and fact-checkers in our industry.

In your conversations with James, he was critical of Fox News, describing it as a “blight” on the family name and a “menace to American democracy.” He’s released various statements with Kathryn over the years criticizing specific output from the Murdoch media empire, but I’ve never heard him speak so candidly and freely about the channel. Do you think we’ll be hearing more direct criticism of the right-wing channel from him in the future? Will James be soon doing a Q&A with Status?

I don't get the sense that James or Kathryn want to be seen as gadflies—they pick their spots. But if you want to request an interview, I can point you in the right direction!

One thing I’m curious about: Did you get the sense from James that he views Fox News as a news channel? It seemed to me he views it primarily as a MAGA propaganda organ at this juncture. That struck me as notable because a number of news organizations continue to characterize the network as if its primary output is news. But it seemed to me that even James—and perhaps others in the Murdoch family—don’t even buy that spin.

I can't speak for him, obviously, but he did describe Fox News's approach as "lying to your audience" to "juice ratings," so I think it's fair to say he's not wildly impressed with the channel's journalism. That said, he told me repeatedly that he doesn't think there's anything wrong with the premise of a responsible, reality-based news channel that reports from a conservative perspective. He just thinks Fox News, in its current iteration, isn't it.

A cynic might say that it’s easy for James to criticize the poison Fox News pumps into the public conversation, given he was quite obviously sidelined in the business by Rupert, who brought in Lachlan to run the empire. Which leads me to ask: How much of this power struggle is about ideology versus personal grievances and family dynamics?

James would say it's not about either, at least on his end. He says his biggest concerns about his father's media empire have to do with things like corporate governance and culture and the lack of editorial guardrails. But, as I think my story makes clear, interpersonal dynamics inevitably shape all of this. I once asked him if the Murdochs' 2010 family-counseling retreat, which I detail in the piece, was more about business or personal issues. His response was, "There's no difference in this family."

In your piece, a Murdoch spokesperson also noted that James continues to benefit from the cash the media empire makes. What do you make of that? On one hand, it’s correct—and James could, I suppose, choose to reject money made from the dissemination of corrosive lies. On the other hand, there’s something delicious—and beneficial—seeing him spend that money to support causes that run counter to the lies.

He'd probably argue that he helped create a lot of value over the years for the family business with things that had little to do with politics, most notably with the sale of 21st Century Fox's film and TV assets to Disney. His critics would make a version of the case you just laid out. It's not really my place to rule on how James spends his money.

There are always juicy tidbits that get left on the cutting room floor when publishing a piece like yours. Tell us: What did not make the story, but would be of interest to Status readers?

I could fill a book with all the "tidbits" I picked up while reporting this story (and maybe I should!) but The Atlantic piece has more than enough to satisfy your tidbit-hungry readers. (For one that I don't think has gotten quite the attention it deserves, control-F "ecosystem.")

How is James feeling after the publication of your story?

You'll have to ask him!

I’m sure you’ve also heard from all the other camps inside the Murdoch family. Can you share how they’re reacting?

No comment.

Final question, and I know you’re going to hate me for this. But break out your crystal ball. What’s your best guess on what will transpire upon Rupert’s death? Do James and his sisters oust Lachlan and try to reform Fox News? Is James maneuvering to position himself for such a reality? Or is that all just a wild fever dream?

In some ways, the whole Murdoch family saga feels like a fever dream, so I wouldn't rule anything out.