The Listening Post

Rupert Murdoch steps down, Lachlan Murdoch steps up

After Rupert Murdoch’s resignation, what is next for his media empire? Plus, TikTok and the Mafia: elements of the Italian underworld are surfacing online.

The resignation of 92-year-old media magnate Rupert Murdoch has set in motion the long-awaited succession of his empire. What effect will his son Lachlan’s leadership have on media – and politics – worldwide?

Contributors:
Kerry Flynn – Media Reporter, Axios
Des Freedman – Professor, Goldsmiths, University of London
Matt Gertz – Senior Fellow, Media Matters for America
Paddy Manning – Author, The Successor

On our radar:

With a general election just two weeks away, a Polish film telling the story of Syrian and Afghan refugees has drawn the ire of the country’s ruling party. Meenakshi Ravi reports on the campaign targeting the film’s director.

The Mafia’s TikTok takeover

Elements of the Italian underworld are surfacing … online. Flo Phillips reports, from Rome, on the Mafia’s new stomping ground – TikTok.

Contributors:
Alessandra Dolci  – Deputy Prosecutor, Milan Anti-Mafia Directorate
Nico Falco  – Journalist, Fanpage
Marcello Ravveduto  – Professor of Public and Digital History, University of Salerno