What Happened to Keith Rupert Murdoch?

Rupert Murdoch's journey to becoming one of the world's most powerful media moguls began in 1952 when he inherited a small Adelaide newspaper, 'The News,' after his father's death. From this modest beginning, he embarked on an aggressive expansion strategy, first acquiring newspapers in Australia and New Zealand, then expanding into the United Kingdom in 1969 with the acquisition of 'News of the World' and 'The Sun'. His move to New York City in 1974 marked his entry into the American market, where he purchased the 'San Antonio Express-News' and later the 'New York Post'.

A key turning point in his career was the establishment of the Fox Broadcasting Company in 1986, challenging the dominance of established networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC. This was followed by the launch of the highly influential Fox News Channel in 1996, which quickly became a dominant force in cable news. Murdoch's empire continued to grow with significant acquisitions, including Dow Jones & Company, publisher of 'The Wall Street Journal,' in 2007.

Murdoch's career has also been marked by controversy, most notably the 2011 phone-hacking scandal involving 'News of the World' in the UK, which led to its closure and widespread investigations. In 2013, News Corporation underwent a major restructuring, splitting into two publicly traded companies: News Corp (publishing assets) and 21st Century Fox (media and entertainment assets). In 2019, he sold the majority of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets to The Walt Disney Company for $71.3 billion, with the remaining broadcasting, news, and sports properties forming the new Fox Corporation.

The question of succession became a central theme in recent years, often likened to the HBO series 'Succession'. In September 2023, Murdoch announced his retirement as Chairman of Fox Corporation and News Corp, becoming Chairman Emeritus, with his eldest son Lachlan Murdoch taking over as sole chairman. A contentious legal battle over the family trust, which aimed to ensure Lachlan's long-term control, was settled in September 2025. This agreement saw three of his older children (Prudence, Elisabeth, and James) relinquish their stakes for an estimated $1.1 billion each, cementing Lachlan's control of the media empire until at least 2050 and preserving its conservative editorial direction.

As of May 13, 2026, Rupert Murdoch, at 95 years old, remains Chairman Emeritus of both News Corp and Fox Corporation. He married retired molecular biologist Elena Zhukova in June 2024, his fifth marriage. Demonstrating his continued engagement in media politics, in February 2026, Murdoch reportedly lobbied former President Donald Trump at a White House dinner, expressing concerns that the NFL's increasing shift of games to streaming platforms could harm traditional broadcast networks like Fox. This intervention led to federal inquiries into the NFL's media rights practices.