The cover feature for New York Magazine’s September 25–October 9, 2023, issue is an exclusive excerpt of former New York columnist Michael Wolff’s new book, The Fall: The End of the Murdoch Empire.
The excerpt is an account of Murdoch’s struggle to grapple with Donald Trump’s influence on Fox News and his miscalculation in believing Tucker Carlson to be a moderate who would balance out Trump’s extremism. It includes a behind-the-scenes account of Tucker Carlson parting ways with the network, which the book suggests was broadly part of Fox News’ settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, the network flailing in its settlement more broadly, details on the extent of Carlson’s presidential ambitions, Ron DeSantis’s unsuccessful attempts to win Carlson’s favor as Trump’s heir apparent, and more.
Read the excerpt here.
The cover illustration is by Jeffrey Smith (@jeffreyartsmith), who also illustrated the 2018 excerpt of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House for the cover of New York.
The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty, by Michael Wolff, is available September 26, 2023 (Henry Holt and Co.).