Source : THE AGE NEWS
The Murdoch family feud has been a gift that keeps giving for those fascinated by the dynastic machinations of one of the most famous families in the world. And media hounds are now lining up for the next round of the fight.
February 13, 2025, was arguably a red letter day for transparency or voyeurism – depending on how you look at it – as The New York Times unpacked a treasure trove of documents from the epic succession battle under way in court between Rupert Murdoch and three of his four eldest children.
Life imitates art for Rupert Murdoch and his children (from left) Lachlan, Elisabeth, Prudence and James.Credit: SMH
While the initial proceedings were conducted behind closed doors, media outlets – including CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times – are now determined to get access to the next chapter in the mogul’s family brawl, and are legally contesting the public’s right to know about who gets to control the world’s most influential conservative media company.
The Murdochs – Rupert and eldest son Lachlan – had always wanted the details of the feud to be shrouded in mystery. The closest anyone got to that case was photographs of family members entering the court building.
That was until the Times got its hands on some 3000 documents from the initial trial and laid bare the vicious fractures within the Murdoch brood.
Rupert Murdoch’s reluctance to have this unseemly family brawl was as fierce as the rest of the world media’s determination to expose it.
Murdoch is well-placed to understand this, given that exposing the secrets of others is his company’s tool in trade.
The world has a fascination with Murdoch and his family that would probably only be matched by the inner workings of the British royal family. So there is plenty riding on the outcome of an attempt by the outlets to have the Nevada Supreme Court unseal the case and make future hearings public.
How this battle between the Murdoch tribe evolves isn’t just about family democracy but about wider shareholder democracy.
In the eyes of the rest of the world’s media (including me), too much Murdoch news is never enough.
In December, Murdoch senior and his eldest son Lachlan lost the first step to challenge a trust that gives his four oldest children equal voting rights over who will run the empire.
Rupert Murdoch (centre) and his wife Elena Zhukova Murdoch arrive at the Second Judicial District Court in Reno, Nevada on September 16, 2024. Credit: AP
Murdoch has been attempting to cement Lachlan’s position to remain as head of News Corporation and Fox Corporation.
In December, it was revealed that the Nevada’s probate court had rejected the media mogul’s challenge, ruling that Murdoch’s four adult children would still have equal, shared control over their father’s media empire upon his death.
But the secretive battle has moved into Nevada’s High Court, and there is a lot riding on the media’s appeal to have documents unsealed.
In September last year during the first hearing in the Nevada probate court, the news organisations petitioned a district court for access, arguing that the secrecy violated a constitutional right to access.
“The public has immense interest in which of Murdoch’s children will succeed him,” the news outlets said in their petition. “The succession will affect thousands of jobs, millions of worldwide media consumers, and the American political landscape.”
Lachlan Murdoch arrives for a probate court hearing in Reno, Nevada, on September 16, 2024. Credit: NYT
The outlets additionally argued that “Nevada’s courts are accountable to the public, and the public is entitled to know whether the trust at issue is being administered in accordance with the law. Certainly, an entire matter cannot be sealed such that its very existence is not a public record, even if all parties to the litigation agree.”
Who controls both these publicly listed companies is also particularly important to their other shareholders, and their views on whether Lachlan Murdoch is the best choice to govern.
Thus, how this battle between the Murdoch tribe evolves isn’t just about family democracy but about wider shareholder democracy.
And it is hard to escape the irony of the history of Murdoch’s papers and their respectfulness of the privacy of other people.
Who could forget the UK phone scandal after which the company ultimately settled with a number of hacked celebrities?
Murdoch family dirt sells – it’s voyeur gold.
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