Murdoch succession drama plays out in closed court in Reno, Nevada

By Dawn Chmielewski

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A battle over control of Rupert Murdoch’s global television and publishing empire begins Monday in a Reno, Nevada courtroom, where a judge will consider the contentious matter of succession.

Murdoch, 93, is attempting to change the terms of the family’s trust -- which holds significant stakes in Fox News parent Fox and Wall Street Journal owner News Corp. The billionaire is looking to ensure that, upon his death, the media companies remain under control of his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch, according to the New York Times, which obtained a sealed court document detailing the succession drama.

A hearing to determine whether Murdoch is acting in good faith will take place in probate court, where the proceedings are closed to the public.

A Nevada judge on Thursday rejected an appeal by Reuters and other news organizations to open the hearings to the public.

The news organizations had said the fate of such culturally and politically influential media outlets was a matter of public interest, but the judge cited the need to prevent disclosure of confidential personal and financial information. Most documents also remain under seal.

The Murdoch trust was formed around the time of Rupert Murdoch's divorce from his second wife, Anna, in 1999. The trust is the vehicle through which the elder Murdoch controls News Corp and Fox, with roughly a 40% stake in voting shares of each company.

Upon Rupert Murdoch’s death, News Corp and Fox voting shares will be transferred to his four oldest children – Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan and James. Potentially, three of the heirs could out-vote a fourth, setting up a battle over the future of the companies, even as Lachlan Murdoch runs Fox and is sole chair of News Corp.

The Murdoch family members arrived in Reno on Monday morning for the hearing. James, Elisabeth and Prudence arrived first, and Rupert and Lachlan came later. The hearing was set to begin at 9 a.m.

Rupert Murdoch’s proposed amendment would block any interference by three of Lachlan’s siblings, who are more politically moderate, the Times reported, citing a sealed court document.

Lachlan Murdoch is viewed as ideologically aligned with his conservative father. James Murdoch, who has donated to progressive political groups, resigned in 2020 from the News Corp board, citing disagreements over editorial content.

(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski; Editing by David Gregorio)