Murdoch Family Ends Bitter Court Battle Over Media Empire
Rupert Murdoch’s family feud has finally been settled, bringing to a close a dramatic legal battle that sounded like something pulled straight from the TV series Succession . At the heart of the fight was the question of who would control Murdoch’s vast media empire after his death. And now, with an agreement in place, the answer has been made clear: his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch, will take the reins.
For years, this family dispute has brewed behind the scenes, only spilling into public view in recent times. Rupert, now 94, had wanted to ensure his empire stayed firmly in Lachlan’s hands. But that decision clashed with the original terms of the Murdoch family trust, which had been designed to give equal say to Rupert’s four oldest children — Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence. When Rupert tried to rewrite the trust, a court in Nevada was pulled into the drama.
The three siblings — James, Elisabeth, and Prudence — argued that the move unfairly stacked the deck in Lachlan’s favor. And in December, the court actually agreed, saying Rupert and Lachlan had acted in “bad faith” by attempting to change something that had been described as “irrevocable.” At that point, it looked like the younger Murdochs had scored a major victory. But Rupert vowed to appeal, and the fight dragged on.
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Now, instead of a prolonged battle, the family has struck a deal. James, Elisabeth, and Prudence will each receive payouts of more than a billion US dollars for their shares in Fox Corporation and News Corporation. In exchange, they will step away from the companies permanently and won’t be allowed to buy back in. This clears the path for Lachlan to retain full control — both as the executive chair of Fox and as the head of News Corp, which publishes major outlets like The Wall Street Journal , The New York Post , The Times of London, and many of Australia’s biggest newspapers.
This agreement is significant not just for the family, but for global media and politics. Lachlan is known for his conservative views, and under his leadership Fox News has continued its strong right-leaning stance. That means Rupert’s media empire is expected to keep its influence in conservative politics well into the future. James, on the other hand, had distanced himself from the family business years ago, criticizing Fox News and even stepping down from News Corp’s board after disagreements over issues like climate change coverage.
The settlement also establishes new trusts for Rupert’s younger daughters, Chloe and Grace, though they will hold non-controlling stakes. In effect, the great Murdoch succession battle has been resolved: Lachlan is the heir, while the others walk away with immense wealth but no power over the family’s media empire.
So, while the courtroom drama may have ended, the story of how Lachlan Murdoch will shape the empire in the years ahead is only just beginning. The dynasty survives, but at the cost of deep family divisions that may never fully heal.
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