Rupert Murdoch Wants Lachlan to Inherit Media Empire, Sparking Legal Battle

HBO’s Succession looks more and more like the House Of Murdoch, where Patriarch Rupert is fighting with three of his adult children over who will control the family media empire when he passes.

An irrevocable trust in place for years would hand control to four of them — Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence. But Murdoch the elder is trying to change that by ensuring that Lachlan, the current CEO of Fox, would remain in charge, according to a story in the New York Times. That’s created a rift with the other three siblings, who are trying to block him.

Murdoch has two other children with an economic interest in the trust but no voting control.

The NYT says Murdoch is seeking the change to avoid infighting. He fears his more liberal-leaning offspring might attempt to oust Lachlan and change the company’s editorial direction. They could do that, with three votes to Lachlan’s one. Rupert believes that would destroy the significant economic value that rests in Fox, and that retaining that value is in the best interest of all of his heirs.

According to probate documents viewed by the Times, the process is underway. The trust is irrevocable, but there’s a window to alter it if Murdoch is acting in good faith and seeking change for the benefit of all heirs — which his three children say is not the case.