Murdoch family embroiled in secret court battle over succession and control
The Murdoch family, renowned for their leadership over one of the world’s most influential news empires, is currently engaged in a clandestine court battle over succession and control, according to a report by The New York Times, which cites sealed court documents.
A history of public intrigue
For years, public intrigue has surrounded the fate of the Murdoch assets after the eventual passing of patriarch Rupert Murdoch, 93. A formidable right-wing media mogul, Rupert Murdoch has long been at the helm of Fox Corporation and News Corporation, which publishes The Wall Street Journal and New York Post. According to Forbes, the family’s vast empire is valued at $19.5 billion, with internal conflicts believed to have inspired the hit HBO series “Succession.”
Battle over the Murdoch family trust
At the core of this latest dispute is the Murdoch family trust, which holds critical voting shares in both Fox Corp and News Corp. Rupert Murdoch’s four eldest children—Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—share four votes in the trust equally. However, late last year, Rupert Murdoch filed a petition to amend the irrevocable family trust, seeking to grant exclusive control to his eldest son and chosen successor, Lachlan. Lachlan has been closely aligned with his father for years and assumed the role of chair of Fox Corp and News Corp last September.
Internal family dynamics
The New York Times, citing court documents, reported that Murdoch’s move stemmed from concerns that interference from his other three children—who are more politically moderate than Lachlan and their father—could influence the companies’ editorial stance. Murdoch argues that by granting control solely to Lachlan, he is safeguarding the companies’ value, thereby benefiting all his heirs. The trust stipulates that changes must be made in good faith with the intent of benefiting all heirs.
In response, the other three siblings have united to mount a legal challenge, arguing that their father is not acting in good faith and is violating the spirit in which the trust was created. The trial is expected to commence in September. CNN has reached out to the legal representatives of both sides for comment.
A legacy of power and politics
This family feud is not the first of its kind. The siblings have a history of tussling for control. Prudence, Rupert’s eldest child from his first marriage, has largely stayed out of the succession battle despite holding various positions at News Corp throughout her career. Lachlan, Rupert’s eldest son from his second marriage, began learning the family business at a young age and has led Fox News since 2019, overseeing a period marked by rampant misinformation about the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic.
James, who supported Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign and has donated to Democratic causes, dramatically broke with the company in 2020, citing disagreements over editorial content. He has publicly clashed with his father and brother’s conservative views, particularly on climate change denialism.
Elisabeth, often considered the most similar to Rupert, has struggled to advance within the family business. Instead, she has established a production company and funded a non-profit program to introduce young people of color to the entertainment industry.
Rupert Murdoch’s strategy of pitting his children against each other in a prolonged competition to determine his successor is widely believed to have inspired the character of Logan Roy in “Succession,” which garnered numerous Emmys and concluded last year. His decision to step down as chairman of his companies last year sent shock waves through the political world, particularly as the 2024 presidential race approaches, given Murdoch’s considerable influence in the Republican Party.
“By making his family the business, and the business his family, Rupert left his family just as broken up as his company was when he sold to Disney,” said New York Times writer Jim Rutenberg in the 2022 CNN Original Series “The Murdochs: Empire of Influence.” “It was ripped apart by this decades-long battle for succession which, at the same time, was a zero-sum seeming battle for their father’s love,” Rutenberg told CNN at the time.