For some families, directing the media landscape is as routine as a Sunday roast.
The industry has long been shaped by a handful of households where children follow their parents into journalism, broadcasting and production.
From newspapers to television and radio, certain surnames keep appearing – but who exactly are Australia’s most influential media dynasties?
Leading the pack is, of course, the Murdochs.
The most powerful and globally recognised media dynasty, the Murdochs have been major players in newspapers, TV and digital for nearly a century, though it’s common knowledge now that much of News Corp’s revenue comes from outside of media.
The foundations of the family’s empire were laid by Sir Keith Murdoch, who began as a journalist before becoming a newspaper proprietor.
News Corp editors tell us the big boss Lachlan Murdoch (pictured with wife Sarah) is more hands-off than his father. He’s also a lot less progressive now than he was as a young man
His son Rupert Murdoch expanded his father’s Adelaide newspaper into the global empire that is News Corporation.
The magnate founded a suite of influential news outlets including The Australian, Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Wall Street Journal, as well as major broadcasters including Fox News and Sky News.
His children remain in the family business, with eldest son Lachlan – the most closely tied to Australia of all the siblings – serving as the CEO of Fox Corporation and co-chair of News Corp.
Youngest son James is the former CEO of 21st Century Fox, but stepped away to run his own investment firm.
Eldest daughter Prudence is also involved in the family trade, holding board roles within News Corp, particularly in the UK newspaper division, while youngest daughter Elisabeth is a successful TV executive and founder of the Shine Group, which was later sold to News Corporation in 2011 for about $645million.
A fourth generation of Murdochs has also joined the family business: Lachlan’s son Aidan, 19, last year began an unpaid internship in the News Corp newsroom.
As for what Lachlan is like as a boss, in the past, he has been described as more progressive than his old man – but that doesn’t seem to be the case today as it’s no secret he has become more conservative with age.
Still, News Corp editors say he maintains a hands-off approach, rarely interfering or imposing political views on his publications.
Rupert Murdoch expanded his father Sir Keith’s Adelaide newspaper into the global empire that is News Corporation. (Pictured: Rupert and wife Elena Zhukova in Santa Monica on April 5)
This is in stark contrast to former editor Eric Beecher‘s characterisation of Rupert as someone who ‘massaged the politicians, directed his editors, and worked over their editorials’ during his visits to Australia.
Unlike his father, Lachlan appears more sensitive to criticism, famously attempting to sue the website Crikey, and then discontinuing those proceedings, over the (rather tenuous) suggestion he bore some responsibility for the Capitol riots. A 2005 New York Magazine profile also noted a young Lachlan was said to be ‘thin-skinned’.
Rupert, by contrast, rarely sues for defamation, no matter the provocation.
The Switzer family are newcomers to the media game.
The Switzer Group, founded by finance commentator Peter Switzer and his wife Maureen Jordan, a lawyer-turned-publisher, is principally known for its financial advice, wealth management, superannuation and investment services.
While this is the foundational arm of the business, the family is also known for its publishing wing, Switzer Media, headed up by Peter and Maureen’s son Alex Switzer.
Maureen Jordan runs a financial and publishing business with her husband Peter Switzer and son Alex. She holds the lofty title of publisher of Harper’s Bazaar Australia
Under licensing deals with Hearst, they publish various local editions of glossy magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire and Men’s and Women’s Health.
We’ve heard mixed reviews from magazine veterans about working under the Switzers, with Harper’s burning through three editors and most of the original staff in the four years since its relaunch.
Harper’s has also faced criticism for its soft-touch interviews with cover stars that lack the depth one would expect from a magazine profile.
‘They’re not journalists or editors – they’re accountants,’ a former staffer previously told Daily Mail.
‘For the relaunch, she [Jordan] wanted to put Shemara Wikramanayake, the managing director of Macquarie Bank, on the cover. That or a bottle of Chanel No. 5!’
Earlier this year, Jordan was listed as ‘editorial director’ on Harper’s masthead – in addition to being the publisher – which offers some clue as to her hands-on role.
We’ve heard mixed reviews from mag veterans about working for the Switzers, with Harper’s burning through three editors and most of the original staff in the four years since its relaunch
Another famous surname on the premium side of the news business is Schwartz.
Melbourne-based Schwartz Media encompasses weekly newspaper The Saturday Paper, current affairs magazine The Monthly and the Australian Foreign Affairs journal.
The company used to own the popular daily news podcast 7am until it was sold to Solstice Media in June, with the new owners indicating they would continue with its current team and format.
The founder and proprietor Morry Schwartz, a former property developer who is married to prominent gallery owner Anna, stepped down from day-to-day operations in December 2023.
Morry Schwartz (pictured with wife Anna in 2019), the founder of Melbourne-based Schwartz Media, stepped down from day-to-day operations in December 2023
At the time, whispers circulated about tensions between journalists and management, particularly concerning the topic of Israel being off limits.
The claim that Schwartz titles avoid critical reportage of the Israel-Palestine conflict – and that its coverage is directed by the views of its proprietor – was first made in a 2021 book by John Lyons.
Schwartz Media has always strongly rebuked these suggestions, insisting it is a proudly independent company. We do not suggest otherwise.
The Lavigne-Freedmans are also a formidable family: Jason Lavigne and wife Mia Freedman are the co-founders of women’s media company Mamamia.
The Lavigne-Freedmans are a formidable media family, with Jason Lavigne and wife Mia Freedman co-founding digital brand Mamamia (Pictured: Mia Freedman with her son Luca)
Mia, an alumna of private girls’ school Ascham, began her career in magazines, becoming the youngest editor of the Cosmopolitan Australia at age 24.
Early in her career, she was mentored by former Cleo editor Lisa Wilkinson. Mia would later return the favour by giving Lisa’s daughter Billi FitzSimons her first job as a writer at Mamamia.
Jason and Mia’s son Luca Lavigne has also joined the family business.
Having grown up watching his parents build the business from a humble blog, the former Merivale bartender was hired by Mamamia in 2016 soon after leaving school. He swiftly rose through the ranks, going from writer to business development manager to head of product and chief operating officer.
The business/family ties have continued with Luca marrying Mamamia’s executive editor Jessie Stephens.
Other notable media families…
Moving away from proprietors to famous Australian media dynasties, there‘s the Willesee family, whose members have spanned television, print, and radio for more than 50 years.
At the top of the tree is the late Mike Willesee Sr, a legendary TV journalist and presenter who worked for the ABC co-hosting Four Corners before moving to commercial TV with Nine (A Current Affair) and Seven (Willesee at Seven).
Moving from proprietors to famous media dynasties, there’s the Willesees, whose members have spanned TV, print, and radio for more than 50 years. (Pictured: Mike Willesee Sr)
Mike’s younger brother Terry also worked as a journalist and TV presenter at Seven and Nine, while their sister Mary served as a reporter and radio host.
The lineage continues with Mike Willesee Jr, son of Mike Sr – a former journalist who worked for Sky News Australia, Seven News and A Current Affair, and later moved into corporate communications.
His wife Allison Langdon is also a prominent figure in the TV world, best known for co-hosting Nine’s Today show alongside Karl Stefanovic from 2020 to 2023, before being promoted to host of A Current Affair in 2023.
Mike Jr’s sister Amy is a writer and journalist, working for publications including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Monthly.
Next up is the Fordhams, a prominent name in both broadcasting and management.
Patriarch John Fordham was a celebrity manager supremo, representing some of Australia’s biggest names in media and entertainment via The Fordham Company.
The late Sydney icon is believed to have helped eldest son Ben secure work with his client John Laws on 2UE radio, and later at the Nine Network.
The lineage continues with Mike Willesee Jr (left) – a former TV journalist who now works in corporate communications. His wife Allison Langdon (right) hosts Nine’s A Current Affair
For years, Ben was a reporter on Nine’s A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and the Today show, before taking over 2GB breakfast.
He is married to Jodie Speers, who had a distinguished career as a news presenter at Seven before resigning to pursue a law degree in 2024.
Ben’s younger brother Nick followed in his father’s footsteps, taking over the Fordham Company and becoming an agent to the stars.
2GB breakfast radio star Ben Fordham is part of the famous Fordham media family
Patriarch John Fordham was a celebrity manager, representing some of Australia’s biggest names in media. Son Nick (left, with his father and children) now runs The Fordham Company
Celebrity agent Max Markson, the PR dynamo behind Markson Sparks!, has been a stalwart of the Australian media industry since the ’80s.
He has represented everyone from Lara Bingle to Corey Worthington and the Chk-Chk-Boom Chick, and organised Australian speaking tours for Bill Clinton (four times), Nelson Mandela and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
His daughter Sharri Markson is a Walkley-winning journalist. Having served as the investigations editor for The Australian, she now hosts her own Sky News program.
Celebrity agent Max Markson (pictured), the dynamo behind Markson Sparks! PR, has been a stalwart of the Australian media industry since the 80s
His daughter Sharri (pictured) is a well-known journalist, working as the investigations editor at The Australian and host of her own Sky News program Sharri
The Stefanovic family name also carries considerable weight.
First and foremost there’s long-serving Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic.
He helmed Nine’s perennially second-placed breakfast show for a total of 16 years, while also contributing to A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and Nine News.
His brother Peter Stefanovic is also an accomplished broadcast journalist. At Nine, he was a foreign correspondent then co-host of Weekend Today (while Karl fronted the weekday edition – meaning viewers had seven-days-a-week Stefanovic coverage!)
He left Nine in 2018 and joined Sky News Australia the following year to front its breakfast program First Edition.
Peter is married to Sylvia Jeffreys, who co-hosts Nine’s Today Extra and used to work alongside Karl as Today’s newsreader.
Karl and Peter’s brother Tom Stefanovic used to be a cameraman for Nine, while their cousin Katarina Stefanovic was a Nine News reporter in Far North Queensland and, later, a producer at A Current Affair.
The Stefanovic family name also carries considerable weight, with brothers Karl (right) and Peter (left) hosting the breakfast shows on Channel Nine and Sky News Australia, respectively
Peter is married to Sylvia Jeffreys (left), who co-hosts Nine’s Today Extra and used to work alongside Karl as Today’s newsreader. (Right: Karl and wife Jasmine Stefanovic)
The McGuires also form their own mini dynasty, with Eddie ‘Everywhere’ McGuire sitting atop the throne as one of Australia’s best-known media figures.
Eddie started out as a cadet sports reporter at The Herald before moving into TV.
He joined Nine as a reporter, rising up the ranks to CEO from 2006 to 2007, while also fronting entertainment offerings like The Footy Show and Millionaire Hot Seat.
Outside of Nine, he is a longtime radio broadcaster, most notably with Triple M.
Eddie’s older brother Frank McGuire is a former ABC and Nine journalist who won two Walkley Awards for investigative reporting before diving into politics.
After flirting with an acting career, Eddie’s eldest son Xander McGuire followed his dad into broadcasting journalism in 2022 when he joined Nine as a sports reporter.
In 2025, he moved to Channel Seven where his AFL coverage earned industry praise.
The McGuire s also form their own mini dynasty, with Eddie ‘Everywhere’ McGuire (right) sitting atop the throne as one of Australia’s best-known media figures
After flirting with an acting career, Eddie’s eldest son Xander McGuire (left) followed his dad into broadcasting journalism in 2022 when he joined Nine as a sports reporter
The Wilkinson-FitzSimons are another elite media family that needs no introduction.
Lisa Wilkinson is one of Australia’s most recognisable journalists, best known for hosting Nine’s Today show for a decade before moving to The Project on Ten.
The former Cleo magazine editor has also written columns, hosted radio shows and published a memoir called It Wasn’t Meant to Be Like This.
Her husband Peter FitzSimons is a prolific author, popular historian and columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald.
The Wilkinson-FitzSimons are another elite media family that needs no introduction. Matriarch Lisa Wilkinson (left) was a trailblazing magazine editor who later hosted programs at Nine and Ten. Her daughter Billi FitzSimons (right) is the editor of social-first youth outlet The Daily Aus
Peter FitzSimons is a prolific author, popular historian and columnist for Nine Newspapers
Their offspring followed them into the industry, with son Jake FitzSimons previously contributing to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Daughter Billie FitzSimons is the most accomplished, however. She started out as a content producer at Mamamia – owned by her mother’s former protégé Mia Freedman – and is now editor of social-first youth outlet The Daily Aus.
The Kohler family also stands strong as a media dynasty, headed up by financial journalist, editor and TV commentator Alan Kohler.
Alan’s wife Deborah Forster is an author and journalist who was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award.
Their son Chris Kohler is Nine News’ finance editor, known for his viral videos that break down housing and economic issues in simple, relatable terms.
The Kohler family also stands strong as a media dynasty, headed up by financial journalist, editor and TV commentator Alan Kohler
Son Chris Kohler is Nine News’ finance editor, known for his viral videos that break down housing and economic issues in simple, relatable terms
And who could forget the Blakes, one of Australia’s most prominent media dynasties with multiple generations of journalists and media executives.
The lineage begins with William Blake, a pioneering reporter for The Truth newspapers in Melbourne and Adelaide during the mid-20th century.
His legacy was continued by his children: the late Peter Blake, who worked for Murdoch’s New York Post; the late Terry Blake, founder of the satirical Kings Cross Whisper; Patrick Blake, production editor for Tempo at The Sun-Herald; and Julie Blake (Flannery), co-founder of Media Monitors and married to journalist Sean Flannery.
Patrick is married to Suzanne Blake, a well-known Sydney publicist who was once engaged to former Packer editor and CEO Trevor Kennedy.
The next generation includes Sarah Blake, journalist at The Sunday Telegraph; and Emma Blake, formerly a finance reporter at Crikey and The Daily Telegraph.
William Blake’s great-grandchildren, John Flannery and Joseph Kerr, continued the family’s presence in Australian media.
The Wilson family have also made their mark, with the late Bruce Wilson renowned as a prominent sports journalist.
During his five-decade career, Bruce contributed to publications such as The Herald, The Sun, and The Herald Sun, often reporting from overseas.
His children stayed in media: Jim Wilson was a broadcaster with the Seven Network, the late Rebecca Wilson was a well-known sports journalist, and Lizzie Wilson is a former Queensland correspondent for Woman’s Day.
The legacy continues with Tom Sacre – the son of Rebecca and her TV producer husband Howard Sacre – establishing himself as a journalist with 7News.
The Harvey dynasty rounds out our list.
Peter Harvey was a renowned Australian journalist and broadcaster, celebrated for his long tenure with Nine and his iconic sign-off, ‘Peter Harvey, Canberra.’ He died in 2013
He was married to Anne Harvey (left), and together they had two children, Claire (right) and Adam, both of whom have made significant contributions to the Australian media
Peter Harvey was a renowned Australian journalist and broadcaster, celebrated for his long tenure with Nine and his iconic sign-off, ‘Peter Harvey, Canberra.’ He died in 2013 at the age of 68.
He was married to Anne Harvey, and together they had two children, Claire and Adam, both of whom have made significant contributions to the media landscape.
Claire is a 30-year veteran in journalism, having served as deputy editor at The Sunday Telegraph, while Adam is a two-time Walkley Award winner, known for his work on programs like ABC’s 7.30.
He is married to Eliza Harvey, a presenter on ABC’s Weekend Breakfast.
