The deadline to allow TikTok to keep operating in America was September 17. After President Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week a framework to switch to a US-controlled ownership and thus keep the American assets out of Chinese hands was tentatively put in place, extending the deadline.
Now, Trump says a group of players are in the mix to take over the US arm including Rupert and his son Lachlan Murdoch. Larry Ellison and Michael Dell are also mentioned, Ellison is the co-founder of Oracle, Dell is the CEO of computer company Dell Technologies.
According to the Guardian, Trump said:
“I hate to tell you this – a man named Lachlan is involved. You know who Lachlan is? That’s a very unusual name, Lachlan Murdoch.
Rupert is probably gonna be in the group, I think they’re gonna be in the group, a couple of others. Really great people. Very prominent people. And they’re also American patriots, they love this country, so I think they’re gonna do a really good job.”
Lachlan this month secured control of the Murdoch media empire until at least 2050 ending a lengthy legal battle with his siblings. He is chairman of News Corp, executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation and the executive chairman of Nova Entertainment, so while an ‘American patriot’ he has significant ties to Australia through Nova and News Corp.
20 years ago Lachlan resigned as an executive at News Corp after a stoush with the then Fox News Channel Founder and Head Roger Ailes which saw his father side with Roger over him. Lachlan, his wife Sarah and their family returned to Australia and it looked like the significant Rupert Murdoch portfolio would go to Lachlan’s brother James.
Lachlan had had to sign a non-compete agreement, so while in Australia he formed a private investment company Illyria Pty Ltd which he used to purchase, among several other things, 50% of DMG Radio Australia. In 2012 Illyria purchased the other 50% from Daily Mail & General Trust and in 2014 it was renamed Nova Entertainment.
The same year Lachlan rejoined News Corp and 21st Century Fox as non-executive co-chairman. His family lives in Sydney and he splits his time between Los Angeles, New York City and there.
Rupert Murdoch is 94. He retired in September 2023 from Fox Corp and News Corp leading to Lachlan’s ascension.
TikTok has 170 million users in the US. Australian users are not of much interest to Donald Trump, but if purchased by Murdoch or a deal that he is involved with, it might come with perks for Nova and News Corp.
The ACRA winning TikTok Trending DAB+ station is currently an ARN iHeart creation, and a successful one at that. Might it go to allow Nova to create an alternative? Would we see a more focused TikTok use for that network, and others too?
There should be benefits for Australians from any Murdoch involvement in the phenomenally successful platform, but what that looks like remains to be seen.
Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radioinfo.
Lachlan Murdoch Image – REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, licenced to Radioinfo.