Rupert Murdoch, his son, James, and former News Of The World Editor, Rebekah Brooks, are set to face a grilling by the British Parliament’s Culture Committee, this afternoon. The trio will be expected to account for the decisions, processes and policies that lead to News Of The World journalists corrupting police officers and illegally hacking the phones of celebrities, murder victims, and government employees.

And it would be advisable for you to tune in, because you might be a witness to the end of Rupert Murdoch, and his de facto control over the greater British Media – a position that he has held for the last 30 years.

Murdoch, who is mythically referred to as the Sun King, is in something of an indefensible position. He has never been shy to revel in the spotlight of the controversy afforded him by his cut-throat-capitalist (and heavily politicised) approach to news publishing. Like Al Capone, the public knows he’s not a wholesome guy. And, like the G-men of the Prohibition, British Labour Party politicians have been gagging for any chance to nail him, ever since Murdoch’s flagship tabloid daily, The Sun, ran the headline “VOTE TORY THIS TIME” in 1979.

The current Tory coalition government, spearhead by David Cameron, finds themselves in the shoes of Pontius Pilate, with a significantly less perfect Messiah in their custody. If they fail to answer the Labour Party cries of “Crucify him!”, they stand to be accused of linking arms with their old media ally, and lose all credibility.

This afternoon, you are likely to see Rupert Murdoch appear in public as CEO of NewsCorp for the very last time. Independent board members are already lining up an heir to his CEO throne. His son, James, is likely to go to jail. His right-hand woman, Rebekah Brooks, faces a tortuously-uncertain future.

But at 80, Rupert Murdoch is close to the end of the road, whatever the outcome of these hearings. Murdoch’s influence was pre-determined to outlast him.

Long live The Sun King.