Real-life ‘Succession’: What is the latest Murdoch family drama all about?
Al Jazeera
Disagreements over the ownership of the Murdoch Family Trust have led to a legal battle.
In a scene that might have been portrayed in the fictional TV series, Succession, a district court in Nevada in the US has ruled against media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s bid to change his family trust and transfer control to his eldest son.
The move by the former chairman of Fox Corp and News Corp had set him at odds with three of his other five children, sparking a real-life power battle within the family, similar to the HBO series’ storyline, which focuses on how the family members of a global media conglomerate fight for control.
The Murdoch Family Trust was created in 1999 and includes Fox News and News Corp. It is currently set to be divided between four of 93-year-old Murdoch’s children – 66-year-old Prudence from his first marriage and 56-year-old Elisabeth, 53-year-old Lachlan and 51-year-old James from his second marriage – after his death. The business tycoon also has two other children named Grace and Chloe from his third marriage, but they do not have any voting rights in the trust.
So what has led to this legal fight and family drama?
