-
-
-
Loading
Loading
Lachlan Murdoch, the eldest son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, has been appointed as the chairman of Fox and News Corp, solidifying his position as one of the most powerful media barons globally. Lachlan, 52, is one of Rupert Murdoch's three children with his second wife, Anna Maria dePeyster, a Scottish journalist. He was born in London and received his education at prestigious American schools, ultimately graduating from Princeton University in 1994, where he wrote his senior thesis on German philosophy. After completing his studies, Lachlan spent a significant portion of his career in Australia, managing his father's businesses. He was once seen as the natural successor to the News Corp business, but a feud with the former boss of Fox News, Roger Ailes, led him to leave the company in 2005. Lachlan felt that his father should have supported him in the dispute, which resulted in his determination to never return to his father's company. Instead, he established an Australian investment firm that invested in various media and marketing companies, as well as an Indian Premier League cricket team. However, not all of his investments were successful, and his company suffered substantial losses on an Australian TV network investment. In 2014, Lachlan returned to his father's empire at a crucial time, following the phone hacking scandal and Rupert Murdoch's divorce from Wendi Deng. He felt the need to support his father during this crisis. Subsequently, in 2015, Rupert named Lachlan and his brother James as co-chairmen of the film studio 21st Century Fox. The brothers aimed to transform the company's culture by advocating for more transparency, workplace diversity, and improved cooperation between divisions. However, the film studio was eventually sold to Disney in 2019, and James Murdoch resigned from the News Corp board the following year due to disagreements over editorial content and strategic decisions. Lachlan Murdoch's new role as the head of Fox will require him to navigate the network's complex relationship with former US President Donald Trump. Fox News has had a love-hate dynamic with Trump, as he frequently appeared on the network but also criticized it while praising conservative rivals. Fox recently settled a defamation lawsuit by Dominion, a voting machine company, for a significant amount. Dominion alleged that Fox helped spread Trump's unfounded rumors about widespread election fraud, damaging its business. Lachlan Murdoch and his father are reportedly not big fans of Trump, but if the Republican party rallies behind him as the candidate next year, Fox News will likely have to support him. While Lachlan Murdoch has shared very little publicly about his own political stance or views on Trump, it is known that he has a similar philosophical inclination to Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host who supports Trump's agenda. Lachlan was allegedly responsible for the decision not to broadcast live US Congressional hearings into the Capitol riot on Fox News. However, Lachlan does not see himself as a kingmaker like his father and primarily focuses on determining business strategy and monitoring financial performance. Despite his media responsibilities, Lachlan Murdoch leads a life of luxury. He and his wife reportedly enjoy sailing on their luxury yacht in Sydney Harbour and plan to acquire an even more extravagant boat for their multi-million dollar boat shed near their family mansion. The couple also owns the Chartwell Estate in Los Angeles, valued at $150 million. Lachlan's wealth has earned him the 33rd spot on the Australian Financial Review's list of the country's richest individuals, with a fortune totaling A$3.35 billion ($2.1 billion).