Title: Lachlan Murdoch: portrait of a controversial heir at the head of the media empire
Introduction :
The transfer of power within Rupert Murdoch’s media empire is official: Lachlan Murdoch, eldest son of the media mogul, will take over as president of News Corp and Fox Corporation. This rise has not been without its challenges for Lachlan, who has navigated family rivalries and conflicts with his father. In this article, we profile Lachlan Murdoch, a controversial heir set to lead one of the world’s largest media groups.
A meteoric rise and a false start:
Born from Rupert Murdoch’s second marriage to journalist Anna Torv, Lachlan Murdoch followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the family group in Australia. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming managing director of News Ltd at just 25 years old. With a promising career ahead of him, Lachlan seemed destined to succeed his father.
However, in 2005, he suddenly resigned and left the United States to return to live in Australia. The reasons for this departure remain unclear, but it seems that differences with his father and too much pressure played a role. For nearly a decade, Lachlan stayed in the background, letting his younger brother, James Murdoch, take the lead.
Back to business:
In 2014, Lachlan returned to business as non-executive co-chairman of News Corp. He then took over the reins of 21st Century Fox as executive chairman and finally became chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation in 2019, following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney.
However, things aren’t always easy for Lachlan Murdoch. His brother James resigned from the News Corp board in 2020, citing strategic differences and disagreements over certain editorial content. James did not appear to approve of the conservative line taken by Fox News and the group’s support for Donald Trump.
A controversial heir:
Lachlan Murdoch does not feel the same discomfort as his brother regarding the ideology conveyed by the family media empire. His position being more in line with the conservative line of Fox News seems to have worked in his favor in the succession within the company.
However, this conservative ideology has often been criticized for its role in the rise of populism and its influence on major political events such as Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. Rupert Murdoch’s imprint has been accused of manipulating public opinion and furthering particular political agendas.
Conclusion :
Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch’s eldest son, is set to take over as chairman of News Corp and Fox Corporation, a powerful and controversial media empire. His career has been marked by family rivalries and conflicts with his father, but he seems to embrace the conservative line of the company. It remains to be seen what impact he will have on the global media landscape and whether he will manage to distance himself from his father’s controversial legacy.