Significant attention is devoted to the fierce rivalry between Murdoch's sons, Lachlan and James, and their differing world views. Murdoch's fall during a Caribbean cruise in January 2018 had previously been reported, but the seriousness of the accident was not known. Rupert Murdoch with sons Lachlan and James. Credit:Peter Mathew After being transferred by stretcher to a hospital in Los Angeles, doctors found that Murdoch had broken vertebrae and a spinal hematoma which "increased the risk of paralysis or even death". "Hall called his adult children in a panic, urging them to come to California prepared to make peace with their father," the Times reports.

The 88-year-old's death, according to the Times, could "very possibly reorder the political landscape across the English-speaking world". The Times' reporters interviewed 150 people for the piece and spent six months investigating. A different vision for Fox News and differences with his father: Lachlan Murdoch. Credit:AP Murdoch eventually recovered and remains the executive chairman of News Corp, which publishes newspapers including The Australian, The Sun and The Wall Street Journal. Another of the major revelations is that Murdoch's children James, Elisabeth and Prudence offered to sell their shares in the family companies to Lachlan Murdoch. This would have put Rupert and Lachlan in complete control of the family empire.

Rupert Murdoch reportedly supported the idea but Lachlan eventually backed out after deciding it was "not financially doable". The Times report describes Lachlan as Rupert's favourite child and charts how he has risen above his siblings to become his father's clear heir apparent. Loading Murdoch last year sold one of his companies, the film studio 21st Century Fox, to the Walt Disney Company for $US71.3 billion ($100.2 billion), dramatically shrinking his media empire. Lachlan Murdoch was made chairman and chief executive of the slimmed-down Fox Corporation, which controls conservative cable news network Fox News.

According to the Times, he was furious about his father's decision to sell off the family's film studio. "Why the [expletive] would I want to run this company?" he reportedly told people close to him. "If you take one more call on this deal, you will not have a son!" he reportedly threatened his father. “I will never talk to you again." Confronted Rupert Murdoch: Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Credit:Andrew Meares The article explores James and Lachlan's competing visions for Fox News, with James wanting to move it in a more centrist direction and Lachlan wanting to keep it strongly conservative.

James reportedly wanted to hire CBS News president David Rhodes to run the network following the departure of veteran boss Roger Ailes in 2016, the Times reports. James Murdoch has since left the family business. He has reportedly dismissed the slimmed-down Fox Corporation, which Lachlan controls, as "an American political project". Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The two brothers are now barely on speaking terms, according to the Times. The piece details Rupert Murdoch's political influence in Australia, Britain and the US - including his media outlets' role in fomenting the downfall of prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, the rise of Donald Trump and Brexit in the UK.

The piece describes a drinks function in August 2018, shortly before Turnbull was removed from office, where Lachlan Murdoch asked Sky News figures: "Do you think Malcolm is going to survive?” Loading Some of Turnbull's senior aides later confronted the Murdochs’ Australian executives by text message, the Times reported, telling them: “Lachlan had made it clear at the editors' drinks on Tuesday night that he would like MT to get rolled." According to the Times, Turnbull then confronted Rupert Murdoch himself about what he believed to be a campaign against his government by Murdoch's Australian outlets. “Let me have a look at it, and let me talk to Lachlan,” Murdoch reportedly said. “I’m retired. I’ll talk to Lachlan.”