Rupert Murdoch, the 93-year-old billionaire owner of News Corp and Fox Corporation, is engaged in a legal battle with three of his adult children over control of his media empire. The mogul is attempting to alter an irrevocable trust to give his eldest son, Lachlan, full voting power upon his death, leaving his other children—James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—with only financial shares and no say in company decisions.
The dispute, which has been ongoing in secret for months, became public after a Nevada probate commissioner ruled that Murdoch can rewrite the trust if he proves the change is made in good faith and benefits his heirs. A trial is scheduled for September, with both sides hiring high-profile lawyers, including former US Attorney General William Barr for Murdoch.
News Corp owns major outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, the Times, and the Sun, while Fox is the parent of Fox News, a leading conservative cable network. The outcome could have significant global implications, as noted by media scholar Robert Thompson, who described the empire as “arguably the single most influential media outlet in all of the English-speaking world.”
Under the current trust structure, the three other siblings, who are considered more politically moderate, could potentially shift the companies away from the conservative ideology that has defined them. Murdoch, a staunch conservative who built close ties with Donald Trump, is keen to prevent this. James Murdoch resigned from the News Corp board in 2020 over editorial disagreements, highlighting the ideological rift.
The family feud has taken a personal toll: at Murdoch’s recent wedding, only Lachlan attended among his four eldest children. With Lachlan as successor, Fox News and News Corp are expected to remain conservative, but the legal battle underscores the high stakes for the future of right-leaning media.
