BTN News: Rupert Murdoch, who is 93 years old, is in a secret legal fight with three of his children. They are arguing about who will control the Murdoch family’s media empire after he dies. This big fight is about keeping their media outlets conservative. The New York Times found out about this through a secret court ruling.
Murdoch started this legal move late last year. He wants to change the family’s trust so his oldest son, Lachlan, will stay in control. The current trust says that after Murdoch dies, his four oldest children will share control. Murdoch says keeping the media conservative will protect its value. So, he thinks Lachlan should lead without his siblings’ interference.
Family Is Divided Over Control of Media Empire and Trust
Murdoch’s three other children—James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—were shocked by his move. They are now working together to stop him. Lachlan, however, is supporting his father. Surprisingly, this family fight has stayed out of the public eye.
Last month, a judge in Nevada said Murdoch could change the trust if he proves he is acting in good faith. A trial in September will decide if Murdoch is honest about this. The future of their powerful media empire depends on this decision.
Both sides have hired top lawyers. James, Elisabeth, and Prudence have Gary A. Bornstein from Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Murdoch has Adam Streisand from Sheppard Mullin, known for handling famous estate cases.
Long-Running Conflicts in the Murdoch Family Now Coming to Light
The Murdoch family has had many conflicts before. James and Elisabeth have fought with Lachlan for control and often clashed with their father. James left the company in 2019 and now runs an investment fund. Elisabeth runs a successful production company called Sister. She has tried to stay neutral in the family fights. Prudence, the oldest child from Murdoch’s first marriage, has stayed out of the family business.
This new fight, with Murdoch being very old, could be the final battle for control. The media empire includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, and big media outlets in Australia and Britain.
Political Views and Power Struggles at the Heart of the Family Fight
Politics and power are at the center of this conflict. The Murdoch family’s political views have changed a lot over the years. During Donald Trump’s rise, Murdoch and Lachlan pushed Fox News further to the right. This upset the other children.
An insider says Murdoch calls this attempt to change the trust “Project Harmony.” He says he wants to stop family fights after he dies. But this move seems to have made things worse.
Murdoch met with Elisabeth and Prudence in London to get their support. They were very angry. After these failed meetings, Murdoch’s lawyers rushed to hold a trust meeting in Reno, Nevada, on December 6. The three siblings’ lawyers tried to delay the meeting and block the changes but failed.
Legal Battle and Family Strains Over Media Empire’s Control
This legal fight has strained Murdoch’s relationship with three of his children for years. None of them went to his recent wedding to Elena Zhukova in California, but Lachlan did. Even though the trust is supposed to be unchangeable, it allows changes made in good faith to help all members. Murdoch’s lawyers say he wants to protect Fox News’s conservative stance and stop leadership fights.
The case is in a probate court in Reno, Nevada, which has privacy-friendly trust laws. The court document from The New York Times shows Murdoch’s plan to give Lachlan more voting power without changing ownership shares.
The Murdoch family trust holds shares in Fox and News Corp., their main media companies. All six Murdoch children have equal shares, but only the four oldest can vote.
Conclusion
The trial will decide if Rupert Murdoch is acting in good faith. This will affect both the Murdoch family and their media empire’s future. As Murdoch fights to keep control, the trial’s outcome will shape one of the world’s most powerful media empires.
