The Rise of Rupert Murdoch: Making of a Mogul (Part 1)

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Rest Is Politics

Episode: The Rise of Rupert Murdoch: Making of a Mogul (Part 1)
Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Alastair Campbell
Guest: Michael Wolff (Author & Murdoch Biographer)

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Episode Overview

This special episode of The Rest Is Politics delves into the life and legacy of Rupert Murdoch, one of the most influential and controversial figures in global media, politics, and culture. Alastair Campbell is joined by renowned journalist and Murdoch biographer Michael Wolff (standing in for Rory Stewart), as they unravel Murdoch’s rise from his early days in Australia to his domination of British and American media, culminating in the real-life succession drama unfolding within his own family. The discussion explores how Murdoch’s power shaped not only news organizations but also the trajectory of politics and public discourse.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Consequence of Rupert Murdoch

• Both Campbell and Wolff underscore Murdoch's outsized significance, arguing that his influence has fundamentally changed the media landscape and, by extension, politics and culture.
• Campbell introduces Murdoch as “a very, very consequential business figure... a deeply consequential political figure... a deeply consequential cultural figure,” and suggests global politics might look very different without him.

  “I think you can make the case that we probably wouldn’t have Donald Trump as president without Rupert Murdoch.” – Alastair Campbell [02:00]

• Wolff pushes further, suggesting:

  “He is the most consequential figure of the second half of the 20th century. Certainly in terms of longevity, he holds power longer than anyone else in our time...” – Michael Wolff [02:06]

2. Media Power vs. Political Power

• The hosts debate the nature of Murdoch’s power, with Campbell distinguishing between political, media, and cultural influence, and noting Murdoch’s unique place on any "league table" of power holders.
• Wolff elaborates on Murdoch as “the power behind the power,” alluding to his behind-the-scenes influence.

  “If you think about who is a power behind the power, who is the secret power, then... at that table there is always Rupert Murdoch.” – Michael Wolff [03:21]

• The longevity and consistency of Murdoch’s influence is stressed, comparing him only to the Queen—who they agree had a very different type of power.

3. Murdoch’s Role in Populism and Conservatism

• Wolff identifies Murdoch as a key driver in the resurgence of conservatism and populism across the Western world in the post-liberal era.

  “He helps really carry [conservative populism] to, I hesitate to say victory, but possibly victory.” – Michael Wolff [04:14]

• Campbell agrees Murdoch “certainly pushes it back, that’s for sure.” [04:44]

4. The Creation of a Media Empire

• Murdoch is credited as the architect of today’s unified media empires:

  “Before Rupert Murdoch, newspapers were owned by newspaper owners, movie studios by movie studios, television networks by television networks... Murdoch, singularly Murdoch, brings it all together. All this power comes under one roof because of Rupert Murdoch.” – Michael Wolff [04:46]

• This consolidation under one figure is depicted as a unique legacy, with ramifications for journalism, politics, and society at large.

5. Personal Connection and Fleet Street Memories

• Campbell shares his own proximity to Murdoch:

  “I did actually work for two of Rupert Murdoch's papers in the 80s... When I jumped to Tony Blair from journalism in 1994... it was much more when I was working for Tony Blair and the Labour government that I got to see Murdoch very, very close up.” – Alastair Campbell [05:22]

• He alludes to the phone hacking scandal (to be covered in later episodes) and how working with Murdoch’s inner circle revealed the dynamics of power at play.

6. Writing About Murdoch – Michael Wolff’s Experience

• Wolff recounts his strategy and experience in gaining Murdoch’s trust and writing about him:
  • He pitched a book after Murdoch acquired The Wall Street Journal in 2007, to which Murdoch surprisingly agreed.
  • Wolff describes long, repetitive interview sessions, highlighting Murdoch’s relentless focus on the media world:

    “He exhausts people because his only focus is the media... what moves, what chess pieces, and he exhausts everybody.” – Michael Wolff [08:18]

  • Wolff humorously admits he might have “spent more time with him than anybody but his closest executive.” [08:18]

7. Murdoch’s Image in Popular Culture

• The hosts touch on the TV series Succession, noting its inspiration from the Murdoch family drama:

  “I guess some of our younger readers may know Murdoch because of the Brian Cox series Succession... even though Brian... says it's not necessarily the Murdoch story, you can see the Murdoch story within it.” – Alastair Campbell [08:46]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Murdoch’s Longevity:
  “He is a person who has held power far longer than anyone else in our time. Except the Queen, if you think she had power.”
  – Michael Wolff [03:54]

• On the Scope of Murdoch’s Influence:
  “It is Murdoch, singularly Murdoch, who brings it all together. All this power comes under one roof because of Rupert Murdoch.”
  – Michael Wolff [04:46]

• On Murdoch’s Obsession:
  “He exhausts people because his only focus is the media. Who's here, who's where, what moves, what chess pieces...”
  – Michael Wolff [08:18]

• On Succession:
  “It's a story of a media baron coming to the end of his time, and he's got these very sort of difficult, grasping children...”
  – Alastair Campbell [08:46]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:11] – Introduction to Murdoch’s power and legacy
• [02:06] – Debate on Murdoch’s influence in Western politics, Trump, and the media landscape
• [03:21] – Discussion of “the power behind the power” and conspiracy perceptions
• [04:14] – Murdoch and the rise of conservative populism
• [04:46] – The birth of modern media conglomerates under Murdoch
• [05:22] – Campbell’s personal experience inside Murdoch’s empire
• [07:05] – Wolff’s access to Murdoch and writing his biography
• [08:18] – Murdoch’s relentless media focus and work ethic
• [08:46] – Murdoch’s saga as reflected in Succession

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Tone & Approach

The discussion is incisive but conversational, marked by mutual respect and deep insider knowledge. Campbell and Wolff balance critical analysis with anecdote, bringing wit and candid critique to the subject. The overall tone is analytical, reflective, and rich with historical context—accessible for both expert and general audiences.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode positions Rupert Murdoch as arguably the most enduring and transformative media mogul of the modern era, mapping his journey from Australian newspapers to a global media empire with immense political and cultural clout. Through personal stories, analysis, and debate, Campbell and Wolff invite listeners to appreciate both the scale of his achievement and the controversies his power has spawned—setting the stage for a deeper exploration in subsequent episodes.

Transcript

[A]

Thanks for listening to the Rest is Politics. Sign up to the Rest is Politics plus to enjoy ad free listening, receive a weekly newsletter, join our members chat room and gain early access to live show tickets, just go to therestispolitics.com that's therestispolitics.com hi there, it's Alastair here. I have just recorded a miniseries about one of the most consequential figures in global news, politics, culture, life in general over the past 50 years, gentleman by the name of Rupert Murdoch. And with me today is not Rory Stewart. Instead I'm with Michael Wolfe who has known Murdoch for years. He's written several books on him and generally knows more than most about this man. We go through his life from his start in Australia, through the time I knew him when he was getting engaged and involved in British politics, into his creation of Fox News, ending with his family's very own real life succession battle. To give you a taste of it, here's an extract from this week's episode. To hear the full thing and get all the benefits of a trip membership, sign [e-mail] Rupert Murdoch.

[B]

Keith Rupert Murdoch.

[A]

I know that's his real name and as you know, Michael, I'm always suspicious of people who don't use the name there given at birth. But he was probably trying to differentiate himself from his father. Also.

[B]

Keith, no, it's interesting. Why would you choose to be called Rupert if you could be called Keith?

[A]

Keith is so much more Aussie than Rupert, isn't it? But here we are. Let's, let's just explain to we have lots of younger listeners. I'm sure most would have heard of Rupert Murdoch. But if you want to know why, we think he's worth Michael and I sitting down for several hours to talk about him. He's a very, very consequential business figure. He's a deeply consequential political figure. He's a deeply consequential cultural figure. And I think more specifically you can make the case that he changed the media landscape and the way the media changed forever. I think you can make the case that probably wouldn't have Donald Trump as president without Rupert Murdoch. And the way that Fox News went.

[B]

Well, let's go further than that. I think you can argue that he is the most consequential figure of the second half of the 20th century. Certainly in terms of longevity. He holds power longer than anyone else in our time and it's meaningful power. It's phenomenal power. It's not Passing political power.

[A]

Yeah. Well, I know we'll get into debate about the difference between political power, media power, cultural power, business power, but I think you can certainly make the case that if you were to list the hundred most powerful people in the world over every year in the last century, and he's been around for 94 of them, and he becomes fairly powerful in Australia, fairly young, he then becomes pretty powerful within the UK and then now very powerful in the, in the American system.

[B]

Well, not just if you measured for 50 years, years he's been powerful in America.

[A]

So if you measured that, if you gave them a point. So like there was a period where you'd have said JFK was the most powerful person briefly. Correct. There was a point when Tony Blair was the most powerful person here for a decade, Thatcher here. But if you actually then gave them league table positions and mapped them and said who was there the longest, I think you can make the case it's murder.

[B]

Yeah. And if you are conspiracy minded, but who else isn't in this world? He is. And if you think about who is a power behind the power, who is the secret power, then I think you would make a case that certainly at that table there is always Rupert Murdoch.

[A]

Okay, so you are going so far as to say that in our lifetime, or our adult lifetime, you and I, that he has been one of, if not the most powerful figures. I don't agree with that, but I can see why you say that.

[B]

I would certainly say that. I mean, I would just say, and incontrovertibly, you could put it, that he is a person who has held power far longer than anyone else in our time. Except the Queen, if you think she had power.

[A]

Yeah. And the Queen actually didn't have the same sort of power.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

That's fair to say.

[B]

And I would add that in this march of conservatism and populism which comes out of the liberal age, we think liberalism has achieved an unassailable place in the Western world. And except that there's Rupert Murdoch, who is carrying this conservative populist strain. He helps really carry it to, I hesitate to say victory, but possibly victory.

[A]

Certainly pushes it back, that's for sure.

[B]

But the other thing is, you know, the media industry as we now know it as this megalopolis behemoth, is, is a creation of Rupert Murdoch. Before Rupert Murdoch, newspapers were owned by newspaper owners, movie studios by movie studios, television networks by television networks, publishers, book publishers by book publishers. It is Murdoch, singularly Murdoch, who brings it all together. All this power comes under one roof because of Rupert Murdoch.

[A]

Now, why are you here? I guess because you've written these two books, but also because you've got this very long experience as a surveyor of the American media scene and the American political scene. And why do I maybe have a special interest in this? I actually, it's not something I shout about too often, but I did actually work for two of Rupert Murdoch's papers in the 80s. I was a young freelancer who worked on the sun. And when I jumped to Tony Blair from journalism in 1994, I was working on a. I recall I was working on a paper called. Which was then owned by Murdoch as well. But it was much more when I was working for Tony Blair and the Labour government that I got to see Murdoch very, very close up. And then of course, further experiences the phone hacking scandal, which we'll talk about in a later episode. So I've had lots of contact with him and his people. And you've got this amazing ability, Michael, to persuade people that you should write these fly on the wall books which don't turn out to be that simple.

[B]

Well, you know, it's a, it was a. And I, I don't know how I do that. I just kind of knock on the door and reason, foolish reason, sake, come in. But I had known Murdoch off and on in media circles, in, in New York. And then when he bought the Wall Street Journal in, and that would be 2007, I said to him, and he was feeling on top of the world then. That was his, his penultimate accomplishment.

[A]

Yeah, because he'd been through a pretty rough time just before that and he was struggling a little bit.

[B]

Yeah, he. Yeah, I mean there's lots of, lots of struggles in Murdoch's life, but he had accomplished this. His, his dream, this tabloid publisher. His dream was always to own broadsheet.

[A]

Own.

[B]

Yes, A newspapers of influence and gravitas. So he bought the Wall Street Journal and I said to him, well, why don't I write a book about it, about you and, and the Wall Street Journal? And he said, and he said, said yeah, sure, that sounds like a great idea. And so went out and sold this book for a lot of money. And then, and then I showed up to write this. I showed up at his office and we sat there and we talked for an hour and a half. And at the end of the hour and a half, he said, have you gotten all you need? Now, I had sold this book for a lot of money, so I needed a lot more. And I was like, I said, you know, I'd like to follow up on a few things. So he got up and he has this old man way of even a young man, he's never really been a young man. So he got. So he got up. He got up, went behind the desk and then penciled me in for the next week. And this went on for a year. So I have spent certainly more time with him than any other journalist not in his employ, of which there have.

[A]

Been many, many, many thousands.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Although not all of them spend that much time with him because he's quite a sort of close circle. Yeah.

[B]

No, I may have spent more time with him than anybody but his closest executive, which is a reason that I think he's kind of relentless in talking about the media. He exhausts people because his only focus is the media. Who's here, who's where, what moves, what chess pieces, and he exhausts everybody. So I could see the people around them kind of pushing me into this space. You talked to him?

[A]

Well, you certainly did. I guess some of our younger readers may know Murdoch because of the Brian Cox series succession, because even though Brian, who I know very well, says it's not necessarily the Murdoch story, you can see the Murdoch story within it. It's a story of a media baron coming to the end of his time, and he's got these very sort of difficult, grasping children who.

[B]

Avaricious children. Yes.

[A]

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