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Text: Wu Xiansen◎
Editor|Wu Xiansen◎
The entertainment industry has exploded again! This time it was not a petty fight, but an earth-shattering family civil war. Who is the main character? It is the media tycoon, Rupert · Murdoch, who is still old at the age of 93! Who will spend the hundreds of billions of family assets? Let's eat melons and watch the show together!
The Murdoch family's "battle for succession" is simply more exciting than the palace fighting drama. This old man is not an ordinary person, he has been married five times, has six children, and has a fortune of 100 billion. You think it's an ordinary rich story? Wrong! It's a huge game of power, money, and the future of the family.
Think about it, a 93-year-old man should have teased his grandson and spent his old age in peace, but he was still worrying about the future of the business empire. His decision not only affects his family, but also affects the nerves of the global media industry. This family civil war is destined to become a classic case in business history.
The story of the Murdoch family is like a real-life version of Game of Thrones. The old man is the king who sits on the Iron Throne, and his children are the heirs who are eyeing each other. Who will have the last laugh? Who will be the victim? Let's wait and see!
This battle is not just a matter within the family, it involves changes in the global media landscape. The direction of Murdoch's empire will have a direct impact on the way we receive information every day. Therefore, this is not only the gossip of a wealthy family, but also a major event related to the future.
Wealthy family grievances: five marriages and six babies
The story of the Murdoch family can be called a realistic version of the "feud of the wealthy". The old man, Rupert · Murdoch, is 93 years old and still controls a huge media empire.
His life is like a legendary novel: five marriages, six children, and a business empire that spans the globe. The old man's marriage history is even more exciting than the series.
His first wife bore him his eldest daughter, Proudns, who is now 65 years old. The second wife was even more "prolific", giving birth to three in one go: 55-year-old Elizabeth, 52-year-old Lachlan and 50-year-old James.
to his third wife, Wendi Deng, and added two daughters: 22-year-old Grace and 20-year-old Chloe. It's just a "big baby"!
Hundreds of billions of family assets: who will inherit them?
Murdoch's fortune is staggering, supposedly in the hundreds of billions of dollars. In 1999, he set up a trust fund that controlled 75% of the Murdoch Group.
What's special about this fund is that he gave his four eldest children the right to vote. This decision laid the groundwork for future family infighting. Did you say this old man did it on purpose? Want to see who's more capable?
The old man's initial favorite successor was his second son, James. But fate made people, and in 2009, James was involved in the "buggate" scandal and fell out of favor instantly. In a fit of rage, Murdoch not only gave up on James, but also sold the company he managed. This is a good thing, the eldest son Lachlan took the opportunity to take the position and became the new successor favorite.
Power Change: Who's the Hell?
Last September, Murdoch announced his retirement, handing over the chairmanship of Fox and News Corp. to Lachlan. This move is tantamount to announcing to the world: Lachlan is my chosen successor!
However, things are far from that simple. The other three children are not vegetarians. They still have voting rights in the trust fund! Once the old man goes west, or loses his ability to judge, the eldest son Lachlan is likely to be kicked out by the other three.
Faced with this situation, Old Man Murdoch was anxious. In June, he convened a meeting of his four children to change the rules of the trust. His goal was simple: to give 100 percent of the voting rights to Lachlan and completely disenfranchise the other three children.
This is a hornet's nest! The other three children refused on the spot. The old man saw that the soft one was not good, so he simply came to the hard one and sued the court directly. In September, this family civil war will be staged in public. At that time, the eyes of the whole world will focus on this "big show".
Wendi Deng: A master of left and right?
In this power struggle, Wendi Deng and her two daughters seem to be left out. But don't underestimate them, it gives them the opportunity to stay left and right. Although they did not make a clear statement, careful people have already seen the clues.
In June, Murdoch married his fifth wife, Elena · Zhukova, at the vineyard. The wedding became a watershed moment.
Only the eldest son, Lachlan, was present, and neither the other three children nor their mother showed up. This is undoubtedly a signal: the family has completely torn its face.
Interestingly, Wendi Deng appeared at the wedding scene with her two daughters. This move is undoubtedly a declaration to the world: we are on the side of Murdoch and Lachlan.
There are even rumors that the bride Elena · Zhukova are still Wendi Deng's best friends. This is interesting, Wendi Deng not only supports her ex-husband, but also is a good sister with her new wife, this situation is really complicated!
Game of Thrones: Who is the Winner in the End?
This infighting in the Murdoch family is not just a private matter of a wealthy family. It is related to the future direction of a huge media empire and affects the pattern of global information dissemination. Behind the actions of each character, there are complex interests and power games.
As the current successor, Lachlan naturally wants to be firmly in control of the entire group. He is likely to continue his father's conservative line and maintain the right-wing stance of media outlets such as Fox News. However, his siblings do not necessarily approve of this approach.
Although James fell out of favor, he did not give up. He may unite his two sisters and try to change the direction of the group. They may push the group to move in a more neutral or left-leaning direction, which will undoubtedly cause a huge shock.
Although Wendi Deng does not have direct decision-making power, her influence should not be underestimated. She chose to support Murdoch and Lachlan, probably to protect the interests of her two daughters. After all, in this game of thrones, it's more important than anything to get the line right.
Looking ahead: A protracted war?
Industry insiders generally believe that this family infighting will not end so soon. Even if the court makes a ruling, the losing side is likely to continue appealing. The battle is likely to drag on for years, creating ongoing uncertainty for the entire media industry.
Some analysts have pointed out that this family infighting may affect the market value of the Murdoch empire. Investors may choose to withdraw their capital because they are worried about the instability of the company's management, which will undoubtedly put a lot of pressure on the company.
There is also speculation that this infighting could lead to the fragmentation of Murdoch's empire. If the four children cannot reach an agreement, they may choose to split up and take control of a portion of their assets. This will revolutionize the global media landscape.
Whatever the outcome, this family infighting will go down as a classic in business history. It not only involves issues such as family inheritance and corporate governance, but also the future direction of the global media industry. Every detail deserves our in-depth study and consideration.
So, how will this "big show" end up? What is the future of Murdoch's empire? Let's wait and see how this real-life version of "Game of Thrones" plays out!
Will this family infighting be the beginning of the decline of Murdoch's empire? Or will it give the media giant a rebirth? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: this drama is far from over, and the good show is still to come!