This week, it feels as though he needs his offspring more than they need him. After Peter Chernin, Mr Murdoch's long-time number two, decided to step down, both James and Elisabeth Murdoch made clear that they have no need – or desire – to leap quickly into the breach.

James Murdoch runs News Corp's European and Asian businesses and is chairman of British Sky Broadcasting, the UK satellite broadcasting group of which he used to be chief executive. He is his father's most likely successor but wants to avoid the same trap as Lachlan, his older brother, who was squeezed out as Mr Chernin's deputy in 2005.

Meanwhile, Lis Murdoch turned down a board seat at News Corp in order to keep running Shine, her independent television production company. She too was treated roughly by a former Murdoch lieutenant – Sam Chisholm, her boss when he ran BSkyB in the early 1990s.