A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Some bad legal news for Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan as they try to revise the family trust in Lachlan's favor. A court official in Reno, Nevada, has dealt a blow to their effort to consolidate Lachlan's control over the family's vast holdings, which includes Fox News and The Wall Street Journal. Here's NPR's David Folkenflik.
DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: The probate commissioner says Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch operated in bad faith, not in the interests of other family members. The news was broken by The New York Times and confirmed to NPR by representatives of parties to the litigation. The actual decision remains sealed, and NPR has not yet reviewed it. Rupert Murdoch promised for a generation to bestow equal control of the empire to his four eldest children, a concession he made as part of his second divorce. He sought to change course to retain its far-right character, especially at Fox News, the single most important economic engine to the media empire's fortunes.
Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch agreed to allow Fox stars to embrace then-President Donald Trump's lies about election fraud in the 2020 race that helped lead to a nearly $800 million settlement of a defamation suit against Fox. James Murdoch has argued Fox should adopt a more moderate course. His sisters Prudence and Elisabeth have been tentative about his strategy but unified with him against losing their say in the trust. The commissioner's decision is subject to a review by a state judge and to potential appeals. NPR has asked the Nevada Supreme Court to unseal all the proceedings.
David Folkenflik, NPR News.
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