"Over the past few years, as Murdoch's four children battled in court over who would control properties including Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post after his death, the possibility was slim but real. If Elisabeth, Prudence, James, and Lachlan Murdoch divided the estate equally after Murdoch's death, those not named Lachlan could move it in a more liberal direction."
"Rupert Murdoch, 94, made it clear that he wanted Lachlan - "a loyal fighter when it comes to following in his father's controversial footsteps," as The Guardian put it in 2023 - to take over. The companies are a "protector of the conservative voice in the English-speaking world," Murdoch told his children in 2023, according to reporting by The New York Times."
Rupert Murdoch's four children engaged in a court battle over control of flagship properties including Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post. Equal division of the estate would have allowed siblings other than Lachlan to shift editorial direction more liberal. Rupert Murdoch expressed preference for Lachlan to lead, characterizing him as a loyal successor and calling the companies a protector of the conservative voice in the English-speaking world. The siblings agreed to give Lachlan control after Rupert's death and through at least 2050. Commentators say the arrangement secures the outlets' conservative orientation and continuity for audiences.
Read at Nieman Lab
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