Counting the Cost

The Murdochs: Money, power, influence

Did British politicians get too close to Rupert Murdoch’s family and News Corp?

Money, power and influence – did British politicians get too close to Rupert Murdoch’s family and News Corp?

Rupert Murdoch now admits he failed in his handling of the phone-hacking scandal at one of his newspapers. He told a British inquiry into press standards that there was a cover-up at the News of the World paper, but one that kept him in the dark too.

And when asked about his influence on British politics, the head of News Corp denied exerting pressure on politicians to further his business interests.

So what has been the impact of the scandal on Murdoch’s business? And just how much influence has Murdoch had?

Plus, as the far-right grabs headlines in France and the Netherlands, we ask if Europe is witnessing a push back against Angela Merkel’s austerity drive.

And how to make money out of China’s rich and powerful?

Counting the Cost, hosted by Matthew Moore, goes to the Beijing Motorshow, where Lamborghini reveals its first SUV for decades and Jaguar-Land Rover pushes deeper into the biggest car market in the world.