# Murdoch Couple Acquire New York Magazine

> James and Kathryn Murdoch buy New York magazine for $300m+ to boost media's thoughtful journalism.
- Title: Murdoch Couple Acquire New York Magazine · Vanity Fair
- Summary: James and Kathryn Murdoch buy New York magazine for $300m+ to boost media's thoughtful journalism. James and Kathryn Murdoch acquired New York magazine for…
- Keywords: james murdoch, kathryn murdoch, new york magazine, lupa, vox media, futurific institute, tribeca film festival, art basel, ai journalism, media investment, news corp, fox news
- Source: Vanity Fair — https://vanityfair.com/story/james-murdoch-kathryn-new-york-magazine
- Author: Lachlan Cartwright
- Published: 2026-10-05T11:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: james murdoch, kathryn murdoch, new york magazine, lupa, vox media, futurific institute, tribeca film festival, art basel, ai journalism, media investment, news corp, fox news
## Murdoch Couple Visit New York Magazine
James and Kathryn Murdoch visited New York magazine’s downtown New York office in mid-May after acquiring it for $300m+ through Lupa.
## Archival History Highlights
The archive contains 58 years of New York magazine history, including covers from 1977 to 2015.
## Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff
Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff confirmed the Murdochs’ purchase was not a vanity play but a genuine interest in media.
## James Murdoch’s Media Background
James Murdoch was four when his father Rupert bought New York and sold it at eighteen.
## James’ Media Involvement
James has never left the media business, citing investments in India including Bodhi Tree Systems.
## Murdoch Wealth and Investments
James and Kathryn used Disney’s $71.3 billion Fox acquisition to buy the Tribeca Film Festival and Art Basel.
## New York Magazine’s Business Model
New York magazine focuses on thoughtful long-form journalism, not search engine optimization.
## AI and Journalism Value
James believes human-written long-form journalism becomes more valuable as AI grows.
## AI Experiment Rejection
James sent a disco parody of Lord of the Rings to his family, which they found appalling.
## Political Donations
The couple donated to Majority Democrats campaigns for James Talarico, Josh Turek, and Mary Peltola.
## Kathryn’s Democracy Concerns
Kathryn says extreme politics harm democracy by making people feel unrepresented.
## Murdoch Family Trust Conflict
James stepped down from News Corp board after disputes with his brother and father over family trust.
## Tesla and X Ownership
James denies Tesla’s connection to X, stating its goal is renewable energy transition.
## Children’s Future Concerns
Kathryn wants to ensure her children grow up in a world where choices now impact their futures.
## Rupert Murdoch’s Legacy
James reiterates that profit ensures media independence, but AI-driven attention mechanisms pose risks.
## Key takeaway

James and Kathryn Murdoch acquired New York magazine for $300m+ through Lupa to support thoughtful long-form journalism amid AI growth.