Murdoch Succession Drama Heats up in Court – Who Will Control Fox and WSJ?

A legal battle over the control of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire is set to unfold in a closed-door Nevada courtroom on Sept. 16. At 93, Murdoch is seeking to amend the terms of his family’s irrevocable trust, potentially solidifying his son Lachlan Murdoch’s control over Fox News and the Wall Street Journal. The trust currently allows his four oldest children—Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, and James—to inherit his shares in News Corp and Fox, potentially leading to a power struggle. Rupert Murdoch’s proposed changes would limit the influence of Lachlan’s more moderate siblings.

Lachlan, aligned with his father’s conservative stance, runs Fox and serves as chair of News Corp. His brother James, who resigned from News Corp’s board in 2020 citing disagreements with its content, has supported progressive causes and criticized U.S. media for spreading disinformation.

A group of media organizations, including The New York Times and CNN, is pushing to unseal the court records, arguing the public interest in the succession’s impact on media and politics. The court must decide if the proposed changes unfairly favor Lachlan and whether they uphold the rights of other beneficiaries.

This high-stakes case, outside major media hubs like New York or London, could determine the future of Murdoch’s vast media empire