Rupert Murdoch and four of his children attended a private probate hearing in Nevada on Monday that could determine the future control of his global media empire, including Fox News and The Wall Street Journal.
The ongoing hearing, set to continue through next week, stems from Murdoch’s effort to alter the terms of the family trust to ensure his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch, retains control after his death.
The 93-year-old media mogul is seeking to change the irrevocable family trust, which currently divides control equally among his four eldest children: Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence. Murdoch reportedly wants Lachlan to have permanent and exclusive control of the media companies, including their conservative editorial direction, to preserve their commercial value.
This move has sparked opposition from his other children, who have united to block the proposed changes. Irrevocable trusts typically cannot be altered without the beneficiaries’ consent or a court order. However, earlier this year, Nevada Probate Commissioner Edmund Gorman ruled that Murdoch could amend the trust if he demonstrates that the changes are in good faith and solely benefit his heirs.
The case is being closely watched due to its implications for the future of some of the world’s most influential media outlets. Lachlan currently serves as chairman of News Corp and CEO of Fox Corp, while James Murdoch, who resigned from News Corp’s board in 2020, has publicly expressed disagreements with the editorial direction of his family’s companies.
The hearings remain closed to the public, with most documents sealed, despite requests from media outlets to make the proceedings public due to the significance of the outcome. The case will continue in the coming days, with more than 40 lawyers involved in the high-stakes legal battle.
The Associated Press, the Guardian, Reuters contributed to this report.
