World’s top media tycoon Rupert Murdoch’s power play foiled: What’s next for his media empire?
Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to change his family trust to ensure his son Lachlan would take over his media empire after his death has been rejected by a Nevada probate commissioner. The commissioner, Edmund Gorman, ruled that Murdoch and his son Lachlan acted in “bad faith” when trying to amend the trust.
This means that the current trust, which divides control of the company equally among Murdoch’s four oldest children, will remain in place.
The rejected amendment would have prevented three of Lachlan’s siblings, who are more politically moderate, from interfering with his control of the company.
Murdoch’s lawyer, Adam Streisand, said they were disappointed with the ruling and plan to appeal. This decision is a significant setback for Murdoch’s plans to consolidate power within his family and could lead to a battle over the future of his media empire.
Rupert Murdoch’s Family:
Murdoch is currently married (for the fifth time) to Elena Zhukova, a 67-year-old retired marine biologist and the former mother-in-law of Roman Abramovich. Her daughter Dasha Zhukova was previously married to the oligarch, splitting up in 2017 after 10 years of marriage.
Rupert Murdoch has six children from three marriages. His children are Prudence (b. 1958), Lachlan (b. 1971), James (b. 1972), Elisabeth (b. 1968), Grace (b. 2001), and Chloe (b. 2003). His three wives are Patricia Booker (1956-1957), Anna Torv (1967-1999), and Wendi Deng (1999-2013).
Rupert Murdoch’s Media Empire:
Rupert Murdoch’s media empire includes a diverse range of assets across newspapers, television, and film. He founded News Corp, which operates major outlets like The Wall Street Journal, The Sun, and The Times.
His empire further expanded with the purchase of 21st Century Fox, which included networks like Fox News, and the creation of News Corp Australia. In 2019, a significant portion of his media holdings was acquired by Disney, but he retains control over valuable companies focused on news and sports.
