Fox Chief Lachlan Murdoch Pressed on Network Infighting in Rare Interview
Fox Corporation chairman and CEO Lachlan Murdoch was pressed on the dramatic infighting at Fox News during a rare interview with the Hollywood Reporter published on Wednesday.
Hollywood Reporter editor Matthew Belloni brought up Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane saying he is “embarrassed” to work at the same company that operates Fox News, the eldest Rupert Murdoch son brushed off the suggestion that there are any internal issues at the company over the cable news network’s controversial coverage.
“I don’t think it’s awkward at all, actually,” said Murdoch. “We’ve never steered any creator to have a political bent or to influence what they put on our air.”
Belloni followed up by pointing to the often publicized infighting at the network: “But it’s gotten so nasty at Fox News.”
“Look, I think unfortunately in this country, there is less and less civil debate, and I think we’re all poorer for it,” Murdoch replied.
Fox News’ internal issues have jumped back into headlines due to the recent departure of Shepard Smith, who was one of the few anchors at the network who critically covered President Donald Trump on a consistent basis. In his last two years at the network, Smith frequently butted heads with the Fox News primetime hosts — like Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson, who both publicly took shots at him when he was their colleague — as he regularly fact-checked the very narratives that the network’s opinionators were pushing on-air.
Lachlan Murdoch also commented on whether Trump’s impeachment would be good or bad for Fox News.
“Look, the news cycle has been crazy for everyone,” Murdoch told Belloni. “And there’s a point where people become exhausted. But if you look at this administration, the network that has benefitted the most has been MSNBC.”
“Some have said that if Roger Ailes were around, he would not tolerate the infighting among the hosts on Fox News. How much string do you give them?” asked Belloni.
“I can’t speak to if Roger were around or not, but unfortunately in this country there’s less and less civil debate,” Murdoch conceded. “Civil debate among our countrymen and our colleagues at work is something we always aspire to.”
