It is the story of a family that is also reeling under the weight of succession disputes. Since Monday, a Nevada court has been the scene of a major legal confrontation between Rupert Murdochthe influential 93-year-old media mogul, to three of his children. The succession dispute, which has major implications for the future of his sprawling empire, including News Corporation and Fox Corporation, stretches from the United States to Britain and Australia. The hearings, held behind closed doors, will take place before a probate commissioner in a courthouse in the American West in Reno.
The struggle for control of the family empire
At the heart of this affair worthy of the intrigues of the series Successionpartly inspired by the Murdoch family history, Rupert Murdoch seeks to redefine the terms of transmission of his empire. His goal: to guarantee his eldest son, Lachlanexclusive control of all family businesses after his death. However, this plan is contested by his three other children, James, Prudence And Elizabethwho oppose this modification, because the initial trust provided for equal voting rights for each of the heirs.
Although the probate commissioner has not, in an initial decision, rejected the possibility of modifying the trust, he will consider the arguments of the various parties this week before making his recommendations. Rupert Murdoch argues that this concentration of powers in the hands of Lachlan is necessary to avoid family dissensions that could harm the strategic direction of the companies.
Consequences on the international political scene
The stakes of this trial go beyond the walls of the courtroom. Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, which generated more than ten billion dollars in revenue in 2023, is a central player in publishing (Harper Collins) and the press, both in the United States (The Wall Street Journal, New York Post), than in the United Kingdom (The Sun, The Times) or in Australia (The Australian).
Observers say the succession struggle could have profound implications for the future direction of Murdoch’s media, which has been blamed for contributing to the rise of populism in Anglo-Saxon countries. Many critics see Rupert Murdoch as one of the architects of the Brexit victory and the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency in 2016.
Lachlan Murdoch, seen as loyal to his father’s conservative line, has already been designated to take the reins of News Corp and Fox Corporation in the fall of 2023. Conversely, his brothers and sisters adopt more moderate, even centrist positions. James Murdoch, who left News Corp in 2020, even publicly supported the candidacy of Democrat Kamala Harris for the next American presidential election.
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