Rupert Murdoch’s Appeal to Alter Family Trust Faces Uphill Battle NYT | Top Stories Jim Rutenberg and Jonathan Mahler 20 December 2024 at 05:56 Mr. Murdoch’s appeal over whether he can consolidate his son Lachlan’s power over his media empire is due just before Christmas. © Emily Najera for The New York TimesLachlan Murdoch, left, and Rupert Murdoch, center, in September. By 2019, Rupert Murdoch had made it clear that he wanted Lachlan to be his successor.