The battle for Rupert Murdoch’s global media empire is heading to the world’s biggest little city.
The 93-year-old billionaire media mogul reportedly wants to change the terms of his irrevocable trust to allow his eldest son Lachlan to inherit the throne and control his prized assets, including Fox News and The Wall Street Journal. But the tycoon’s three other children, James, Elizabeth and Prudence, oppose the move, arguing that all four siblings should continue to have equal voting power.
The family feud is set to go before a judge next week in Washoe County Court in Reno, Nevada, but the proceedings and court documents are shrouded in secrecy. Alicia L. Lerdo, clerk of the 2nd Judicial District Court, confirmed to NBC News that the Murdoch case is sealed and “confidential by court order.” (Reno’s probate court frequently handles family trusts and estates.)
But in late July, The New York Times published an article based on copies of sealed court documents that outlined some of the key issues in the lawsuit. NBC News has not independently reviewed the documents or confirmed their authenticity. Gary A. Bornstein, an attorney for the three brothers, and Adam Streisand, an attorney for their father, did not respond to NBC News requests for comment.
Mr Murdoch is one of the most powerful and influential media titans of modern times, having built a small Australian newspaper business into a powerful conglomerate of broadcast and cable networks whose crown jewel remains Fox News, a pillar of the US conservative movement and home to prominent opinion hosts who are staunch defenders of former President Donald Trump.
The Murdoch family’s internal court intrigues have often generated breathless public interest, and have been the subject of the HBO series “Succession” and behind-the-scenes books.
The family is divided in part over differing political views and how those beliefs should shape the future of their vast media empire. Lachlan Murdoch, who became chairman of Fox and News last September, tends to align with his father’s conservative worldview.
James Murdoch, Elisabeth Murdoch and Prudence Murdoch are considered moderates politically. James Murdoch supports Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential candidacy, and he has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democratic congressional candidates and state Democratic parties, according to Federal Election Commission records.
The New York Times, citing court documents, reported that Murdoch’s father believes “disagreement” between his four children “will affect the strategic direction of both companies, including a possible shift in editorial direction and content.” The tycoon has petitioned to amend the trust, aiming to concentrate decision-making power in Lachlan’s hands and give him permanent, exclusive control.
A Nevada probate commissioner ruled in June that Murdoch, the patriarch of a wealthy family, could modify the irrevocable trust if he could prove he was acting in good faith solely on the behalf of his heirs, according to a copy of the 48-page ruling cited by The New York Times. (Murdoch has two children in their early 20s from his third of five marriages.)
If Lachlan Murdoch solidifies control over his corporate assets, Fox News’ opinion programming will likely remain staunchly conservative and exert a major influence on Republican politics.
Fox News has had close ties to Trump in recent years. The company was sued by Dominion Voting Systems for spreading unfounded claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election. The two sides ultimately settled for $787.5 million, avoiding a jury trial.
“Rupert Murdoch has always managed to reconcile his business interests with his ideological goals, and he seems to see Lachlan as the only brother he can get a handle on,” said Reece Peck, an associate professor of media culture at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York, and author of “Fox Populism: Branding Conservatism as Working Class.”