What does Rupert Murdoch's exit mean for Fox News? Not much. Why poison will keep flowing

Rupert Murdoch's departure as chairman of News Corp. and Fox Corp., which owns Fox News, may not bring about the significant changes some might hope for in his media empire. His son, Lachlan, who is already the CEO of Fox Corporation, will now become the sole chairman of both companies.

In this case, it appears that the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. Rupert Murdoch, now 92 years old, co-founded Fox News in 1996 with Roger Ailes, positioning it as a conservative alternative to what was perceived as the left-leaning CNN. While technically a conservative outlet, Fox News evolved into something more contentious over the years.

Ailes may have been the architect of Fox News, but Murdoch was the one calling the shots. Much like his influence on media properties in Australia and England, Murdoch used his considerable power to promote politicians and causes he favored while attacking those he opposed, with little effort to conceal his bias.

Fox News once adopted the slogan "fair and balanced" to describe its news coverage, but for many outside the network, it was more of a punchline than a genuine commitment to balanced reporting.

This approach to news coverage reached its peak (or nadir, depending on one's perspective) during Donald Trump's presidential campaign and tenure. The network's disregard for truth while catering to its passionate audience came with a financial cost, as evidenced by the $787.5 million defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems in April, prompted by false claims about the 2020 election. It also revealed that many of Fox News' personalities privately held different views about Trump and the election than the misinformation they spread on air.

Following the Dominion lawsuit, Fox News parted ways with Tucker Carlson, who at the time was both the most popular and divisive host in cable news. Rupert Murdoch's exit as chairman may not signal a significant change, as his son Lachlan has been involved in the network for several years. Fox News has continued to provide a platform for misinformation and sensationalism.

Opportunities to enhance the network's credibility in prime-time programming have been missed. For instance, after Carlson's departure, Jesse Watters replaced him, offering a similar, albeit less sophisticated, style of commentary.

Fox News has also allowed hosts like Sean Hannity not only to support Trump but actively campaign for him, blurring the lines between journalism and advocacy. In cases where money and honest journalism clashed, Murdoch consistently sided with financial interests.

The damage inflicted by Murdoch and his associates on trust in news is immeasurable. Many now rely solely on Fox News for their information, leading to a steady diet of outrage. Instead of reporting on stories objectively, Fox News specializes in amplifying fear and anger among Trump's base.

The Murdoch family's story has been fictionalized in the TV series "Succession," with Brian Cox portraying a character reminiscent of Murdoch—a cunning billionaire controlling a conservative media empire. While the real-life succession at Fox News lacks the drama of the TV series, it appears to be a wealthy individual passing the torch to one of his sons, with little indication that it will deviate from business as usual.

In the end, this transition is more of a real-life tragedy than a prestige TV drama.