By Dawn Chmielewski

RENO, Nevada (Reuters) – A closed-door court battle over control of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire begins Sept. 16, and could determine the future of Fox News and the Wall Street Journal.

Murdoch, 93, is attempting to change the terms of the family’s irrevocable trust to ensure his newspapers and television networks remain under control of his eldest son and chosen heir, Lachlan Murdoch, according to the New York Times, which obtained a sealed court document detailing the succession drama.

Reuters and other news organizations are attempting to gain access to sealed court records, and to open the court hearings in Reno, Nevada, before probate commissioner Edmund J. Gorman Jr.

The trust lays out a scenario on how a potential takeover could occur, according to a source who has seen the documents. The trust is the vehicle through which the elder Murdoch controls News Corp and Fox, with roughly a 40% stake in voting shares of each company. Murdoch also holds a small amount of shares of the companies outside the trust.

Upon Rupert Murdoch’s death, News Corp and Fox voting shares will be transferred to his four oldest children – Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan and James. Potentially, three of the heirs could out-vote a fourth, setting up a battle over the future of the companies, even as Lachlan Murdoch runs Fox and is sole chair of News Corp.

Rupert Murdoch’s proposed amendment to the trust would block any interference by three of Lachlan’s siblings, who are more politically moderate, the Times reported, citing a sealed court document.

Lachlan Murdoch is viewed as ideologically aligned with his conservative father. James Murdoch, who has donated to progressive political groups, resigned in 2020 from the News Corp board, citing disagreements over editorial content. James also has criticized the U.S. media for amplifying disinformation about the 2020 election results ahead of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He hosted a fundraiser for U.S. President Joe Biden in 2021, before the Democrat ended his re-election campaign.

A hearing to determine whether Rupert Murdoch’s proposed changes to the trust would benefit his heirs will take place in a Reno courtroom, well outside the media hubs from which the conglomerate operates in New York, Los Angeles, London and Sydney.

“He’s going to have to prove that these changes are being made in good faith,” said Shane Jasmine Young, a Nevada attorney who specializes in estate planning. That means demonstrating any changes would not “sacrifice the rights, or discriminate against, any of the parties that this trust was intended to protect.”

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A group of news organizations, including the New York Times, CNN, The Associated Press, National Public Radio, The Washington Post and Reuters, have asked to intervene in the matter, arguing that the court should unseal the records and provide access to the proceedings.

“Though some litigants may desire secrecy and some courts indulge this desire, this level of sealing does not pass constitutional muster,” attorneys for the Access Coalition of news organizations wrote in a memo to the court, arguing the First Amendment calls for civil judicial proceedings and records to be open to the public.

The news organizations say the public has immense interest in which of Murdoch’s children will succeed him at the helm of the influential media empire, an outcome that will affect thousands of jobs, millions of worldwide media consumers and the political landscape.

Spokespeople for Lachlan, James and Elisabeth Murdoch declined comment. A spokesman for Rupert Murdoch referred inquiries to his attorney, who did not respond to a request for comment. An attorney representing James, Elisabeth and Prudence also could not be reached for comment.

“The reason this is interesting is the outsized role that Fox (News) has played in the political landscape, in the U.S. and around the world,” said Paul Hardart, director of the Entertainment, Media and Technology Program at New York University’s Stern School of Business. “I think this is a reflection of the future of not only the business, but also how conservative media is handled going forward.”

(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by David Gregorio)

A total of 11 burros have been found dead in Death Valley National Park, so far.

The National Park Service said in a release on Wednesday that the burros were found near Owls Hole Spring. While the burros’ cause of death is under investigation, park officials said they believe a toxic algae bloom is to blame.

The water at the spring is warm and stagnant, which can cause algae and cyanobacteria to grow. Burros also defecated in and around the water, which contributed to unhealthy conditions for both humans and animals to drink or touch, the park service said.

“I hate to see any animal suffer,” park superintendent Mike Reynolds said in a statement. “The National Park Service is working to remove feral burros from Death Valley for their own safety, and to reduce impacts to native wildlife.”

According to the park service, burros are not native to Death Valley and were brought to the area by miners. Park officials are working to relocate burros from the park.

Contact Taylor Lane at tlane@reviewjournal.com.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The Nevada Department of Corrections announced Wednesday that the prisoner swap between Ely State Prison and High Desert State Prison is complete.

According to a press release, nearly 2,000 inmates were moved between the two facilities over several days. Additionally, the facilities have swapped security designations, making Ely a medium-security facility and High Desert the new maximum-security facility.

High Desert prison employees have received additional training to handle maximum-security offenders, which include the use of “Less Lethal Systems” like pepper ball launchers.

An NDOC spokesperson also said while the recent fight that killed three offenders at Ely was part of the decision to swap, it was “not the impetus.”

“NDOC officials have been planning the move for several months due to an uptick in gang activity and violence, along with the remote nature of Ely State Prison,” the release stated. “The highest-risk offenders will now be housed where staffing levels are greater, and the institution is closer to outside law-enforcement and medical services, if necessary.”

NDOC also added that the operation was a highly sensitive one that put officers, staff, and inmates at risk, which is why it wasn’t discussed beforehand.

“We were fortunate to work with a number of agencies that helped make this a seamless transition, with no injuries to staff or offenders. Of course, it would not have been possible without our own highly trained officers in both the north and the south who handled this difficult operation with the utmost professionalism and skill,” said James Dzurenda, Director of the Nevada Department of Corrections. “We believe this move will increase the efficiency of the Department and, most importantly, maintain a safer environment for our offenders, our staff and the community.”

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