When the King Dies

King Lear had three daughters and turned his succession into farce, drama and, eventually tragedy. King Rupert has six wee ones. And his kingdom is much bigger. Alas, we don't have William Shakespeare to tell this tale for it will get good.

All the kerfluffle about what Rupert Murdoch will do once he purchases The Wall Street Journal is myopic. He's 76 and the history of how he runs businesses is clear. Current employees will lose their jobs (which under the mismanagement by the Bancroft family they were likely to do anyway) as he cuts certain costs while he highly leverages the purchase to grow the business in new directions. And he will direct his businesses to suck up to whoever is in power, whether it is the Chinese government or Hillary Clinton.

So that's a given. As is his mortality.

Rupert began empire building by leaving school to take over his father Keith's News (Australia) upon his death in 1952. So, which successor should journalists really be worried about. Profane James? Unloved Lachlan? Cordeliaish Elizabeth? Forgotten Pru? Or will (then) widow dragon lady hold the reins of power until the newsome twosome, Grace and Chloe, are arisen?

** The father is always the key, but the children are the ones to watch and worry about. **