Media mogul Rupert Murdoch (93) believes his children are ungrateful, as they have now taken him to court.
Power, influence, and media support for right-wing populism in the U.S. What sounds like the plot of an exciting TV series is the reason for a real dispute within the family dynasty of powerful media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Three of his children are rebelling against his decision about the company’s future — and have taken the matter to probate court in Reno, Nevada. They were reportedly even inspired by a TV series.
Not only in 2016 were Rupert (then 85) and Lachlan Murdoch (left, then 45) close. His eldest son is expected to ensure that the media conglomerate continues in line with his father’s wishes.
Rupert Murdoch created the world’s most powerful media empire
His empire includes major newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and the London Times. But it also includes tabloids like the New York Post and The Sun, and, of course, Fox News, which frequently broadcasts the views and lies of former U.S. President Donald Trump (78) without question.
Rupert Murdoch stepped down as chairman in 2023
In September 2023, Rupert Murdoch stepped down as chairman of his empire, handing the reins to his eldest son, Lachlan (53). With this move, he aimed to ensure the conservative orientation of his media outlets — particularly Fox News.
However, since 1999, a family trust has been in place. According to the agreement, after Rupert Murdoch’s death, his four oldest children — Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence — would receive equal shares and voting rights.
Murdoch wanted to disempower his children
Since Lachlan’s siblings do not share his conservative ideology, the future ideological alignment of Fox News and other outlets remains uncertain.
To counter this, Rupert Murdoch attempted to solidify Lachlan’s position by modifying the family trust. Under the proposed changes, after Rupert’s death, voting rights would pass exclusively to Lachlan, giving him full control of the empire.
Rupert Murdoch acted maliciously
However, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence refused to accept this change without a fight. They took the matter to court, where the presiding judge rejected the proposed amendments to the family trust. According to the New York Times, the judge’s 56-page decision stated that Rupert and Lachlan had acted maliciously to deprive the other siblings of their power.
