Fox News Under Siege – Total Liberal Takeover
Rupert Murdoch, the 93-year-old founder of Fox News and owner of the center-right Wall Street Journal, faces the possibility of losing editorial control over both organizations after a failed legal bid to name his eldest son, Lachlan, as the sole decision-maker for his media empire.
According to a confidential document reviewed by the New York Times, a Nevada commissioner denied Murdoch’s request to modify his family trust, which currently stipulates that his media assets will be divided equally among his four adult children after his death. Commissioner Edmund J. Gorman Jr. determined that Murdoch’s efforts to alter the irrevocable trust were made “in bad faith.” The ruling accuses Murdoch of orchestrating a “carefully crafted charade” to secure Lachlan’s leadership over Fox News and other entities, “regardless of the impacts such control would have on the companies or the beneficiaries” of the trust.
Murdoch’s other children—James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—welcomed the ruling. In a joint statement, they expressed optimism about moving forward. “We welcome Commissioner Gorman’s decision and hope that we can move beyond this litigation to focus on strengthening and rebuilding relationships among all family members,” they stated.
Lachlan Murdoch, who has served as chairman of News Corp. since his father stepped down in 2023, currently oversees a media empire that includes Fox Corp., the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and other influential outlets. Earlier in his career, Lachlan was an executive at Fox News during its formative years, contributing to the development of its right-wing programming, which has had a lasting impact on both American politics and media.
Rupert Murdoch’s desire to leave his empire to his children now conflicts with his goal of preserving the center-right editorial stance of his outlets. While Lachlan aligns with his father’s conservative views, James and Elisabeth are known for their more moderate or liberal perspectives. In court, Murdoch argued that granting Lachlan full control over editorial decisions would protect the publications’ conservative identity and maintain their profitability.
If the legal battle does not resolve in Lachlan’s favor, he may consider buying out his siblings’ shares in the media empire. However, tensions within the family could complicate this plan. Lachlan reportedly has a strained relationship with his younger brother James, who is rumored to be collaborating with Elisabeth and Prudence to unseat Lachlan from his leadership role after their father’s passing.
Meanwhile, Fox News faces growing competition from other conservative outlets aiming to capture its audience. Newsmax recently surpassed CNN in Nielsen ratings, while One America News announced that Matt Gaetz would host a primetime show. Should Fox lose its conservative slant, it could trigger the most significant media realignment of the 21st century, reshaping the primary sources of information for conservative audiences.