No one saw it coming, but on Sept. 21, 2023, media mogul Rupert Murdoch announced his retirement, handing the reins of his $17 billion empire over to his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch, who will take over by the end of Nov. 2023.
Headlines have surrounded the Murdoch family their entire lives — their power struggles and rivalries are even said to have inspired the HBO series “Succession.”
The Murdoch family's billion-dollar fortune all began in 1954, when Rupert took over The News, an Australian newspaper, upon the death of his father, Keith. He created News Corp., a media empire that eventually included Fox News, HarperCollins, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as hundreds of newspapers and TV stations around the globe.
These outlets had a conservative editorial focus and often used tabloid-style, sensationalized headlines to attract readers. Murdoch has come under fire for this approach on more than one occasion.
In 2011, employees of News of the World, a publication of his News International subsidiary, were found guilty of hacking the phones of celebrities and the British Royal family. Murdoch admitted that the publication had tried to cover up the offenses.
Recently, Dominion Voting Systems filed a suit against Lachlan, Rupert, and Fox News for allegedly making defamatory claims about the validity of the voting machines in order to bolster views. The company eventually settled out of court in April 2023 — to the tune of $787.5 million.
Who is Lachlan Murdoch?
Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch’s eldest child, was born in London on September 8, 1971. He was the son of Rupert Murdoch and his second wife, journalist Anna Maria dePeyster. Lachlan Murdoch grew up reading his father’s newspapers and attended private schools in New York City; as a teenager, he cleaned printing presses at the Daily Mirror in Sydney, Australia, and worked as a reporter for the San Antonio Express-News.
Murdoch studied philosophy at Princeton, and after his graduation in 1994, he rose through the ranks at News Corp. By 1999, he was appointed deputy CEO, managing brands like 21st Century Fox, HarperCollins, The New York Post, and the digital advertising company REA Group. However, in 2005, Murdoch abruptly resigned from his position and moved back to Australia, reportedly due to a disagreement with Fox News president Roger Ailes. It was also said to be an attempt to escape his father’s shadow.
Lachlan Murdoch instead focused his energies on Illyria Pty, a media investment company that owned a network of Australian radio stations and had stakes in the Rajasthan Royals, an Indian Premier League cricket team; Funtastic, a toy manufacturer; and Destra, a film, music, and theater company. In 2012, he became CEO of the media company Ten Network Holdings.
By 2014, Lachlan Murdoch had been persuaded by his father to return to News Corp. Unlike his brother James, Lachlan shared his father’s political views — and some even believe him to be more conservative. Lachlan Murdoch was named co-chairman of News Corp. and 21st Century Fox in 2014. After Disney bought 21st Century Fox for $72 billion in 2019, Lachlan Murdoch became CEO of the Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News.
Where does Lachlan Murdoch live?
Lachlan Murdoch owns homes in Sydney, Australia; Aspen, Colorado, and Los Angeles, California. He splits his time between Sydney, where his wife and children have lived since 2021, Los Angeles, where Fox Corp. is headquartered, and New York City, the home of News Corp.
Is Lachlan Murdoch American?
Lachlan Murdoch is considered a citizen of the world; he was born in London but raised in the U.S. He speaks with an American accent but considers Australia to be his main residence.
Who is Lachlan Murdoch’s wife?
In 1999, Lachlan Murdoch married Sarah O’Hare, a British-Australian model and actress in a celebrity-filled ceremony at Canvan Station, New South Wales, Australia. Guests included Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, Tom Cruise, and Nicole Kidman.
They have three children: two sons, Kalan and Aidan, and a daughter named Aerin.
What is Lachlan Murdoch doing now?
Responding to Rupert Murdoch’s announcement in Sept. 2023, Lachlan released a statement, saying:
"On behalf of the FOX and News Corp boards of directors, leadership teams, and all the shareholders who have benefited from his hard work, I congratulate my father on his remarkable 70-year career. We thank him for his vision, his pioneering spirit, his steadfast determination, and the enduring legacy he leaves to the companies he founded and countless people he has impacted."
—Lachlan Murdoch, September 21, 2023
Lachlan Murdoch has led Fox Corp. since 2019; he will add News Corp. to his mantle when his father Rupert retires at the end of Nov. 2023.
