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James Murdoch buying half of Vox Media, including New York magazine

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by Ashleigh Fields - 05/20/26 2:44 PM ET

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by Ashleigh Fields - 05/20/26 2:44 PM ET

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James Murdoch’s media company is buying half of Vox Media, a purchase that will include New York magazine, Vox’s digital site and Vox Media Podcast Network, Vox Media announced on Wednesday.

James Murdoch is the son of conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch, whose companies, including News Corporation, have owned hundreds of media organizations around the world, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News in the United States.

Lupa Systems, the media and technology holding company owned by James Murdoch, declined to disclose the price of the deal, but people familiar with the matter said it would cost more than $300 million, according to The New York Times.

“This acquisition aligns well with our existing holdings and investments and reflects both our interest in the forward edge of culture and our deep commitment to ambitious journalism and agenda-setting conversations,” James Murdoch said in the Vox Media statement.

“It will allow us to apply new tools across the businesses we are building, adding substantial production, distribution, and editorial capability to our group,” he added.

Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff will continue at the helm of the company, while the other portion of Vox Media will break off into a separate entity, the statement said.

Vox Media President Ryan Pauley will head up operations for the new venture, which is set to receive a new name with a range of brands that include Eater, Popsugar, SB Nation, the Dodo and The Verge.

James Murdoch told the Times he’s simply looking to “build a great business” more than six years after stepping away from News Corporation amid a dispute over editorial content, including over the denial of climate change at some of the company’s media outlets.

He added that he’s interested in “longer-form, thoughtful journalism that can really speak to the culture.”

His father’s previous ownership of New York magazine in the 1970s and 1980s held no special significance, he told the Times.

The deal is expected to close in four to six weeks, The Washington Post reported.

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