Rupert Murdoch, the media mogul who owns The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) through his company News Corp, reportedly became furious over a profile the newspaper published about Oliver Darcy, a former CNN reporter.
The story, written by WSJ media writer Isabella Simonetti and published in February 2025, portrayed Darcy’s post-CNN venture—a media newsletter called Status—in glowing terms, calling it “a must-read for the power brokers of publishing and entertainment.”
The piece highlighted Darcy’s success after leaving CNN in August 2024 to start the newsletter, noting his scoops on high-profile media stories, such as the romantic relationship between New York Magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and ABC News re-signing anchor George Stephanopoulos.
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| Oliver Darcy |
According to a report by Breaker News, a media-focused newsletter run by Lachlan Cartwright and Ravi Somaiya, Murdoch was so incensed by the WSJ’s positive coverage of Darcy that he personally called the paper’s editor-in-chief, Emma Tucker, to berate her. A source with knowledge of the matter described Murdoch as “livid” and said he “made his complaints vehemently known” to Tucker.
While the WSJ has maintained a reputation for rigorous journalism, Murdoch’s reaction suggested his sensitivity to content that might elevate critics of his broader empire, particularly Fox News. The profile itself was a splashy feature, complete with artful portraits of Darcy and his new employee, and it praised his newsletter’s rapid rise since its launch. However, Murdoch’s outburst highlighted a perceived misalignment between his views and the editorial decisions at the WSJ, a paper he acquired in 2007 as part of the $5 billion purchase of Dow Jones & Company.
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