Murdoch loses bid to change trust in real-life ‘Succession’ battle
3 min read
Rupert Murdoch's bid to change his family trust and secure control of his media empire for his son Lachlan was rejected by a Nevada court in a ruling that reflects ongoing family tensions.
In a real-life family drama reminiscent of the TV series Succession, Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to alter his family trust and secure control of his media empire for his eldest son, Lachlan, has been thwarted by a Nevada court commissioner. The case involved a legal battle between the 93-year-old media mogul and his three children—Prudence, Elisabeth, and James—over who would assume control of News Corp and Fox News after Murdoch’s death.
Murdoch reportedly sought to amend a 1999 family trust to allow Lachlan to take charge of the media empire without interference from his siblings. This move, however, was met with resistance. The Nevada court commissioner ruled that Murdoch and Lachlan acted in “bad faith,” describing their efforts as a “carefully crafted charade.” In response, a spokesperson for the dissenting children expressed support for the ruling, hoping to move past the litigation and focus on rebuilding family relationships. Meanwhile, Adam Streisand, a lawyer for Murdoch, stated that they were disappointed with the decision and intended to appeal.
The legal battle has been kept largely behind closed doors, as Nevada’s laws provide a confidential setting for sensitive matters such as family trust disputes. A unique “close on demand” statute allows the parties involved to request that court proceedings remain sealed from the public eye.
The Murdoch family’s dispute has often been compared to Succession, the HBO series that portrays a powerful media family fighting for control of their empire. Murdoch’s children reportedly began discussing their father’s death and the potential aftermath following a particularly chaotic episode of the show, which involves the patriarch’s passing and the resulting family and business turmoil. This prompted Elisabeth’s representative to draft a “Succession memo” aimed at preventing such a scenario in real life.
Rupert Murdoch’s media empire consists of two main companies—News Corp, which owns major newspapers like the Times and The Sun in the UK, and the Wall Street Journal in the US, and Fox, which operates Fox News. Murdoch has been preparing his sons, particularly Lachlan, to take over his media empire for decades, with the goal of preserving its legacy. However, Lachlan is thought to have more conservative views compared to his siblings, particularly on issues related to the media company’s direction.
In the 1990s, Murdoch established the Murdoch Family Trust, which was intended to provide a framework for succession within the family. Under the trust, Murdoch divided the power within his media companies, granting his four eldest children one vote each, with Murdoch himself holding the majority of votes. After his death, these votes were to be distributed equally among his children, allowing them to collectively have a say in the future of the empire.
However, the family’s differing political views have led to a significant rift, particularly between Lachlan and his siblings. While the dispute over the trust was not about money, it was centered on the control of Murdoch’s vast media assets, with Lachlan and his siblings vying for influence.
Despite the commissioner’s decision, the legal proceedings are far from over. While the ruling is not final, it serves as a recommendation, and a district judge will eventually review the case and issue a decision. The final ruling could take weeks or even months, and will remain confidential, with no public access to the details.
Murdoch’s family dynamics have long fascinated the public, with many seeing parallels between the real-life power struggles and the fictional drama of Succession. While the ultimate fate of the Murdoch empire remains uncertain, the family’s internal conflict highlights the complexities of managing a vast media dynasty and the challenges of passing on control to the next generation.
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