Lachlan finally has control of Murdoch empire but deal is a win for sibling rivals

"As a keen rock climber, Lachlan Murdoch knows a thing or two about the importance of clinging on to perilous terrain. After the toughest ascent of his life rising to the top of his father's business empire he has finally ensured that his place at its summit is assured. The deal Rupert Murdoch's eldest son has struck with his oldest siblings Prudence, Elisabeth and James will mean they give up their shares in the family business, handing Lachlan the long-term control that he and his father craved."

"They secured that after winning a high-profile court case, opposing an audacious attempt by Rupert and Lachlan to effectively write them out of the family trust that controls the Murdoch businesses, Fox Corporation and News Corp. What Rupert and Lachlan dubiously labelled Project Family Harmony ended up producing one of the most spectacular episodes of the Murdoch family saga when the three other siblings took their father to court over the plan with the full contents of the family's mutual animus spilling into the public domain when the court documents leaked."

"For Lachlan and his father, it means the businesses remain in the hands of someone determined to keep their conservative slant most notably Fox, the empire's cash cow. Immediately, all the deal does is maintain the status quo Lachlan has been in charge for some time. But it means any sense of a softening of Fox's pro-Trump stance is off the table."

Lachlan Murdoch reached a deal with siblings Prudence, Elisabeth and James to acquire their shares, consolidating long-term control of the family media holdings. The negotiated payout is estimated at about $1.1bn per sibling, higher than earlier offers after the siblings won a court challenge. The court case opposed an attempt by Rupert and Lachlan to alter the family trust and exclude the other siblings, a dispute that exposed deep familial animus when court documents leaked. The agreement maintains existing management and sustains Fox's conservative editorial stance, preserving the business status quo.

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