The Murdochs: Closing the Curtain on a Powerful Era

For more than half a century, the Murdoch name has been synonymous with media power. From News Corp and The Wall Street Journal to Fox News, Rupert Murdoch’s empire shaped political discourse across the U.S. and the U.K., particularly among conservative audiences.

Yet 2025 marked a turning point. After years of infighting, the Murdoch siblings finally reached an agreement: Lachlan Murdoch retained control of Fox and News Corp, while his siblings cashed out. Reuters and The Guardian both described it as the end of a “real-life Succession.”

The Murdochs remain influential, but theirs is traditional power anchored in print, cable, and broadcast television. In the age of streaming, data, and AI-driven platforms, this model no longer dominates unchallenged.

The BBC’s Warning: A New Dynasty Emerges

When the BBC ran the headline “Stay Away from the Murdochs – a New Family Dynasty Is Shaking American Media,” it wasn’t just hyperbole. It was a signal that a new power center was rising: the Ellisons.

If the Murdochs were the “kings of cable news,” the Ellisons are building a tech–media hybrid empire. Larry Ellison, Oracle’s billionaire co-founder, is well known in Silicon Valley. But it is his son, David Ellison, who has become the disruptive force in media, leading Skydance Media’s takeover of Paramount Global.

The Paramount–Skydance Merger: A Historic Move

On August 7, 2025, the Skydance–Paramount Global merger officially closed, valued at about $8.4 billion. The new entity Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (ticker: PSKY)—installed David Ellison as Chairman and CEO.

Paramount brought a massive library of assets: CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+, and decades of film and television. Skydance, in contrast, was a younger but dynamic studio, known for blockbuster franchises.

Ellison declared: “We will use technology to amplify creativity, not replace it.” His vision is to combine intellectual property with technological platforms—streaming, data, AI—to build the media company of the future.

Within weeks, Paramount Skydance announced strategic moves:

• Secured U.S. broadcasting rights to UFC, a highly lucrative sports deal.

• Expanded Paramount+ to better compete with Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime.

• Began cutting real estate costs and integrating platforms to manage its debt burden.

The Next Ambition: Warner Bros. Discovery

Reports from Reuters and The Wall Street Journal suggest that Paramount Skydance is preparing a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) the owner of HBO, CNN, and Warner Bros. Studios. If successful, the Ellisons would command an even greater library of content and a major foothold in news media.

The hurdles are significant:

• Antitrust scrutiny from the FCC and Department of Justice.

• Political sensitivity, given CNN and HBO’s role in U.S. public discourse.

• Financial risk, as Paramount already carries heavy debt that could grow under WBD integration.

To prepare, Paramount Skydance appointed Makan Delrahim, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, as Chief Legal Officer a defensive move anticipating regulatory battles.

Murdochs vs. Ellisons: Similarities and Differences

Similarities:

• Both are family dynasties where power is concentrated within one household.

• Both leverage political connections to secure influence.

• Both understand that media ownership equals cultural and political power.

Differences:

• The Murdochs built dominance in newspapers and cable television.

• The Ellisons are pursuing a technology–media hybrid: data, AI, streaming, and digital platforms.

• If the Murdochs influenced politics through news, the Ellisons may shape culture and consumer behavior through algorithms and platforms.

Implications for Markets, Politics, and the Public

For Investors

• Policy risk rises, as media M&A is tightly bound to antitrust regulation.

• PSKY stock will remain sensitive to restructuring progress, debt reduction, and investor confidence.

• Long-term opportunity exists: if successful, the Ellisons could build a “super-platform” capable of rivaling Disney and Netflix.

For Journalists and Content Creators

• Editorial independence could be at stake. When politically connected families control news assets, bias subtle or overt becomes a risk.

• Transparency measures such as independent ombudsmen will be essential. FCC approval of the Paramount–Skydance deal was contingent on commitments to editorial oversight and neutrality

For the Public

• Plurality of voices may shrink as more media power consolidates into fewer hands.

• Consumers will need to be more discerning, recognizing that “who owns the platform” often matters as much as “what content is shown.”

Why “Stay Away from the Murdochs” Matters

The BBC wasn’t suggesting the Murdochs are irrelevant. Fox News and The Wall Street Journal still shape conservative America. Rather, the message is this: the future of media lies elsewhere. It lies with families like the Ellisons, who blend capital, technology, and content into a new kind of empire.

Backed by Larry Ellison’s resources and David Ellison’s ambition, the family is building a dynasty fit for the streaming age.

The year 2025 will be remembered as the year of dynastic transition in U.S. media. On one side, the Murdochs resolved their succession drama and consolidated traditional power. On the other, the Ellisons launched a bold campaign to reshape the entire industry through technology, streaming, and aggressive M&A.

For investors, the takeaway is to monitor policy risk, restructuring, and deal pipelines. For journalists and marketers, prepare for shifts in editorial direction. For the public, remember: media power is no longer just about headlines and TV anchors—it’s also about who controls the platforms and algorithms that determine what you watch.

The Murdochs defined the 20th century. The Ellisons may define the 21st. What we are witnessing is not simply a story of money or mergers, but of how family dynasties continue to shape culture, politics, and the public sphere.