Deals
Murdochs Divvy Up Disney Payday, Limiting Influence
- Trust is said to be distributing proceeds among six children
- Fox and Disney expect to close deal as soon as early March
Walt Disney Co.’s $71 billion takeover of 21st Century Fox Inc. assets was expected to turn the Murdoch family into one of the biggest voices at the entertainment giant.
But the six Murdoch children -- heirs to billionaire Fox founder Rupert Murdoch -- will be paid cash and stock from the deal individually, according to people familiar with the situation. That means they may not be much of a force at Disney, even though the family as a whole will become one of the biggest investors.