The Sydney Morning Herald logo

Murdoch family case

Advertisement
Anna Murdoch in Toronto, 1988.

Rupert Murdoch’s second wife and glamorous mainstay, Anna, had incalculable influence

“I thought we had a wonderful, happy marriage. Obviously, we didn’t,” the media mogul’s second wife – mother of Elisabeth, Lachlan and James – said after their 31-year marriage ended.

  • Mark McGinness

Latest

James Murdoch

‘Pleased the matter is behind them’: Murdoch children break silence over family deal

Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch and James Murdoch have spoken out after the multibillion-dollar settlement that ended the long-running family dispute.

  • Calum Jaspan
The Murdoch family multibillion-dollar feud has come to an end. Rupert Murdoch and his four eldest children (from left), Lachlan, Elisabeth, Prudence and James.

What’s to become of Murdoch’s corporate orphans?

The middle-aged trio – especially James and Elisabeth – don’t possess the obscurity gene, having been members of arguably the most talked about family outside the British royals.

  • Elizabeth Knight
Rupert Murdoch and children Elisabeth, Lachlan and James (back).

Murdoch’s succession war is over, but family trust is gone

Power within the Murdoch empire has been transferred, but through inheritance, not merit. Will this business ever shift from feudalism to capitalism?

  • Rodney Tiffen
Lachlan Murdoch emerges as the winner from the court case.

Captain Lachlan may be News Corp’s master and commander but troubled waters lie ahead

While Murdoch snr’s anointed heir is likely to stick to the same course, the media giant must brace for shifting consumer habits and economic headwinds.

  • Michael Koziol
Murdoch’s daughters were never a serious chance of taking over from him.

Handmaiden or peacemaker but never No.1: The Murdoch daughters ‘forsaken’ by their father

Though Prudence and Liz are Rupert Murdoch’s eldest children, their gender meant they were never considered genuine heirs to the throne.

  • Jordan Baker
Advertisement
Rupert Murdoch at war with his family.

The odds are stacked: Shareholders stare down Murdoch and lose (yet again)

Dual-class shareholding structures are the antithesis of shareholder democracy – more of a corporate version of a gerrymander. But to get rid of them, you need a shareholder vote.

  • Elizabeth Knight
While New York may be the administrative home of News Corporation, its spiritual home remains Australia.

New age News Corp takes shape in Lachlan Murdoch’s mould

With a secret family civil war ongoing, Lachlan Murdoch is already putting his stamp on his father’s media empire that’s coming to terms with digital disruption.

  • Calum Jaspan
Rupert Murdoch arrives for the second day of probate court hearings in Reno, Nevada.

Succession-style Murdoch family case the best-kept secret in Reno

Depending on the legal outcome, the ruling could fundamentally shift the direction of an expansive media network and reshape the US political landscape for years to come.

  • Farrah Tomazin

Anna Murdoch told me succession would bring heartbreak. How right she was

I interviewed Anna Murdoch after her marriage to Rupert ended. Now, 23 years later, her fears about succession tearing the family apart look remarkably prescient.

  • David Leser