This is getting to be an old story.
Another Murdoch will likely own New York Magazine.
Rupert owned it from 1976 to 1991. Now son James is buying it from Vox Media.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting the new sale. Their writer may not know that Rupert already made everyone crazy when he owned the magazine.
James Murdoch presents himself as the anti-Rupert. He has a family trust that invests in media properties separate from dad’s News Corp. James, for example, has a controlling interest in the Tribeca Film Festival. He also has the same in Art Basel. His wife invested in The Bulwark.
So what does this mean for New York Magazine? When I there in the 90s the owners were KIII. We covered Murdoch and the NY Post mercilessly. Of course, media coverage isn’t the same anymore. Very little is addressed with a hard edge — except in the Status newsletter. Everyone is so afraid of losing their job and needing one somewhere else, no one wants to come down hard on a competitor.
PS When Rupert bought New York, he forced out the creators, Clay Felker and Milton Glaser. This caused ripple effects everywhere in the mid 70s. Eventually Ed Kosner became editor in chief and did a great job. But there was horror when Rupert took over. Now there will be yawns.
