If you’ve ever walked past a Manhattan newsstand and seen a headline that made you double-take—something loud, pun-heavy, and aggressive—you're looking at the DNA of the New York Post. It’s the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the United States, founded way back in 1801 by Alexander Hamilton. But Hamilton’s ghost isn’t running the show anymore. Today, when people ask about the owner of the New York Post, they aren't looking for a history lesson. They're looking for one name: Murdoch.
Specifically, the New York Post is owned by News Corp, the massive media conglomerate controlled by the Murdoch family.
For decades, Rupert Murdoch was the face of the operation. He bought the paper in 1976, lost it for a bit due to federal cross-ownership rules, and then snatched it back in 1993. It’s his baby. Honestly, even with the recent corporate shifts where he stepped down as chairman, the "Murdoch touch" is everywhere. It’s in the tabloid's DNA. You can’t separate the paper's editorial "bite" from the man who transformed it from a failing high-brow broadsheet into the populist, conservative-leaning powerhouse it is today.
The Corporate Structure: Who Actually Holds the Keys?
Technically, it’s not just one guy sitting in an office writing checks. The owner of the New York Post is News Corp (officially News Corporation).
News Corp is a publicly-traded entity on the NASDAQ (NWSA). If you have a brokerage account, you could technically buy a tiny piece of the Post right now. But don't get it twisted—the Murdoch family trust holds the voting power. In late 2023, Rupert Murdoch officially retired as the Chairman of News Corp and Fox Corp, handing the reigns to his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch.
Lachlan is now the Executive Chair. This transition was a massive deal in the media world. Some people thought the Post might soften its stance or change its vibe under new leadership, but Lachlan has historically been even more aligned with the paper’s conservative, populist roots than some of his siblings.
Why the Ownership Structure Matters
Most newspapers are struggling. That's no secret. But the New York Post is in a weird spot. For years, it was reported that the paper lost money—sometimes tens of millions a year. Most owners would have shut it down or gutted it.
Rupert Murdoch didn't.
He viewed the Post as a "writer’s paper" and a vehicle for cultural influence. To the owner of the New York Post, the red ink on the balance sheet was less important than the front page's ability to set the national conversation. It’s a loss-leader for influence. However, in recent years, News Corp’s financial filings suggest the Post has actually moved toward profitability, thanks to a massive surge in digital traffic and its "Post Digital Network" which includes sites like Decider and Page Six.
A Brief, Chaotic History of Ownership
It hasn’t always been the Murdochs.
Alexander Hamilton started it with $10,000 he raised from other Federalists. Back then, it was the New-York Evening Post. Fast forward through a century of various owners, and you hit the Dorothy Schiff era. Schiff owned the paper from 1939 to 1976. Under her, the Post was actually a liberal, New Deal-supporting publication.
Then came 1976.
Murdoch bought the paper for about $30 million. He immediately fired the old guard and brought in editors from his Australian and British tabloids. The style changed overnight. Sensationalism? Yes. Puns? Absolutely. The famous "Headless Body in Topless Bar" headline from 1983 defined this era.
There was a weird blip in the early 90s. Murdoch had to sell the paper because he bought a TV station in New York (WNYW), and the FCC said you couldn't own both. A guy named Peter Kalikow bought it, went bankrupt, and then a truly eccentric billionaire named Abe Hirschfeld took over for… two weeks. It was a disaster. The staff literally used the paper’s own pages to protest him. The FCC eventually granted Murdoch a waiver, recognizing that he was the only one who could actually keep the paper from folding. He’s been the owner of the New York Post ever since.
Is the Owner the Same as Fox News?
This is a common point of confusion. People often lump them together.
Yes and no.
In 2013, the original News Corporation split into two separate companies:
- News Corp: This holds the "print" side (The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, HarperCollins, and papers in the UK and Australia).
- Fox Corporation: This holds the "broadcast" side (Fox News, Fox Sports, the Fox broadcast network).
So, while the owner of the New York Post is News Corp, and Fox News is owned by Fox Corp, they are sister companies. They share the same top-level leadership—the Murdochs—but they are distinct financial entities. They often share content and cross-promote, which is why the "voice" feels so similar across both platforms.
The Editorial Influence of the Owner
Does the owner pick the headlines?
Probably not every single day. But the editors-in-chief at the Post have historically been people who understand the Murdoch worldview. Col Allan, who was a legendary (and controversial) editor there for years, was a Murdoch loyalist through and through. Keith Poole, the current Editor-in-Chief, came over from The Sun in the UK—another Murdoch property.
The owner of the New York Post sets the "vibe." That vibe is:
- Pro-business.
- Strongly skeptical of New York’s progressive leadership.
- Aggressive on crime and policing.
- Heavy on celebrity "Page Six" gossip.
This isn't a secret. It's the brand. The Post doesn't pretend to be the New York Times. It’s a tabloid, and it wears that badge proudly.
How to Verify Ownership and Influence
If you’re trying to keep track of who runs what in the media landscape, you have to look at the SEC filings for News Corp. That’s where the real power is documented.
- Look at Voting Shares: In companies like News Corp, there are Class A (non-voting) and Class B (voting) shares. The Murdoch family owns the lion's share of Class B. That means even if they don't own 51% of the total equity, they control the board.
- Watch the Board of Directors: When the owner of the New York Post makes a move, it’s reflected in board appointments. Lachlan Murdoch’s rise was telegraphed years in advance through these appointments.
- Annual Reports: News Corp’s "10-K" filings will tell you if the Post is making money. For a long time, they buried the Post’s numbers in a broader "News and Information Services" category, but they’ve become more transparent as the digital side grew.
What’s Next for the Post?
The future of the New York Post is tied to the future of the Murdoch family. There has been plenty of speculation—and a hit HBO show called Succession that mirrored this reality—about what happens when Rupert is no longer in the picture.
Lachlan is in charge now. But he has siblings—James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—who all have a stake in the family trust. James Murdoch, in particular, has been vocal about his disagreements with the direction of some of the family's media properties, especially regarding climate change and political rhetoric.
If the family trust ever votes to sell, the owner of the New York Post could change for the first time in thirty years. But for now, the paper remains a central pillar of the Murdoch empire.
Actionable Steps for the Informed Reader
Understanding media ownership isn't just for business nerds. It helps you decode the "why" behind the news you consume.
- Check the "About" Page, but Verify: Most outlets won't prominently display their billionaire owners. Always cross-reference with the Columbia Journalism Review’s media ownership database.
- Follow the Money: Use sites like OpenSecrets to see how the parent companies of your favorite news outlets spend money on lobbying. News Corp is a major player in D.C.
- Read Across the Aisle: Since you know the owner of the New York Post leans conservative, balance your diet. If you read a Post story about NYC crime, go check how the city-focused non-profits like The City or the New York Daily News (owned by Alden Global Capital) are covering the same set of facts.
- Identify the "Sister" Outlets: If you see a story in the Post, look at the Wall Street Journal editorial page. They often reflect the same ownership priorities but for a different "suit-and-tie" audience.
Ownership matters because it dictates the "North Star" of a newsroom. With the New York Post, that star is firmly pointed toward the Murdoch family's vision of populism and power.