Thanks to billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s outsize personality, his vast sway within the news industry and his role as a kingmaker in conservative politics, there’s long been heightened interest in his megadeals,

The battle over the global media empire has far-reaching implications, as it encompasses the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, as well as numerous print and media outlets in Australia and the UK.

News Corp. patriarch Rupert Murdoch, 93, wants to ensure eldest son Lachlan gets control of family trust, which has major stakes in Fox News parent Fox and the Wall Street Journal.

A "momentous" court battle to determine the future of Rupert Murdoch's media empire and his £14.9 billion family trust begins in Nevada today. The fate of "a string of newspapers and television channels consumed by millions of people around the world" is at stake, as well as "thousands of jobs" and "billions of pounds", said Sky News.

In an obscure Nevada courtroom, a judge will decide who inherits the keys to a sprawling media empire.

Rupert, 93, is aiming to cut three of his children out of the family trust, which would allow his most conservative son to call the shots without interference

Behind the closed doors of a courthouse in Reno, Nevada, today, a family battle like no other will commence. At stake is one of the world’s most influential media businesses, a $34 billion (£26 billion) empire with the power to influence elections around the world.

A court battle to determine the future of Rupert Murdoch's media empire and a £14.9bn family trust begins on Monday. The case will pit 93-year-old Mr Murdoch against three of his eldest children over who will gain the most voting shares and power to control News Corp and Fox News when the billionaire dies.

Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox news and the Wall Street Journal, is fighting to change his trust and give son Lachlan full control of media empire.