China News Service, August 12. The 91-year-old media tycoon Murdoch ended another marriage.
How much will the billionaire, who is worth more than $17 billion, pay for his fourth wife?
Will his media business map be affected by the divorce?
On March 5, 2016, local time, in London, England, the 84-year-old media tycoon Murdoch married his supermodel girlfriend Jerry Hall, officially entering the fourth marriage of his life.
'The happiest man in the world' is divorced
Murdoch's fourth wife, Hall, 25 years younger than him, was once a supermodel.
The two got married in a flash in 2016 and got married in a church in central London.
Murdoch and Hall on their wedding day.
When he first got married, Murdoch excitedly showed his affection on social media Twitter, saying that he was "the luckiest and happiest person in the world".
He also said at the time that he would stop tweeting to commemorate the happy moment.
Image source: Screenshot of Murdoch's social media personal homepage
Today, six years later, there is news that the two have parted ways, and his Twitter page is still stuck at the "happiest moment" and has not been updated.
On August 12, Beijing time, lawyers for Murdoch and Hall released a joint statement confirming that the two had reached a divorce agreement, but the two "remain good friends and wish each other all the best in the future."
Hall, 66, filed for divorce in a Los Angeles court a few weeks ago, citing "irreconcilable differences" with Murdoch, 91, and asking Murdoch to pay spousal support and attorneys' fees.
Data map: Murdoch and his fourth wife Hall.
According to the British "Daily Mirror" report, Murdoch received the divorce papers at the RAF Briz Norton military base after attending his granddaughter's wedding.
The New York Times said that some people close to Murdoch were surprised to hear the news of his divorce from Hall.
Because as early as when the two got married, Murdoch's spokesman Stephen Rubinstein wrote: "They have been in love for several months, are very happy with the decision to marry, and are full of expectations for their future."
The once-$1.7 billion breakup fee
This is Murdoch's fourth divorce. The marriage between the two lasted only 6 years, which is also the shortest marriage.
His first wife, Australian Patricia Booker, divorced in 1965 after nine years of marriage.
The second wife, Anna Tove, was married for 32 years and divorced in 1999.
Murdoch and Wendi Deng.
Not long after the divorce, Murdoch married his third wife, Wendi Deng. The marriage lasted 14 years and the two divorced in 2013.
Murdoch, who had six children from his first three marriages, had no children with his fourth wife, Hall.
Murdoch and Hall's respective daughters served as bridesmaids at the wedding.
Image source: Visual China
Murdoch is now the richest person on the Forbes list with a net worth of more than 10 billion US dollars. In the first three divorces, how much of his net worth was divided?
According to reports, more than 20 years ago, he paid an exorbitant breakup fee to his second wife, which was among the highest in the wealthy circle at the time.
In 1999, Murdoch gave his second wife Anna a break-up fee of up to $1.7 billion, including 100 million in cash, and signed an agreement that Murdoch's business could only be born to the daughter of the first wife and Anna. of three children inherited.
Anna and Murdoch's son Lachlan Murdoch is now the chief executive of Fox News' parent company Fox.
On November 19, 2016 local time, Wendi Deng and Murdoch appeared in the same frame for the first time after their divorce, and the former lovers stood apart and smiled awkwardly.
Image source: Visual China
Although Murdoch paid a $1.7 billion breakup fee to divorce Anna and married his third wife, Wendi Deng, but because Murdoch and Wendi Deng signed a prenuptial agreement, Wendi Deng did not leave Murdoch until the third divorce. Doc's net worth, but also failed to obtain the shares of Murdoch News Corporation, only two real estate.
As for the first divorce, since Murdoch did not have much property and fame at the time, there were not many reports of property division.
How much of the $17 billion net worth will be divided?
According to Forbes, Murdoch is now worth more than $17 billion.
In the fourth divorce, how much will be separated by the wife?
The divorce was initiated by Hall.
When she filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court weeks ago, she sought spousal support for an undisclosed amount.
Data map: Murdoch (first from right) and Hall (second from right).
However, on August 10, local time, Hall made another request to the Los Angeles court to cancel her original application for divorce from Murdoch.
It was also at this time that the lawyers of the two parties issued a joint statement, saying that the two had reached a divorce agreement.
However, the two sides have not released the details of the agreement to the public.
The "Daily Mail" quoted sources as saying that Hall's breakup fee is about 250 million pounds (about 300 million US dollars), plus two houses.
The outlet also said that sources close to Murdoch said the total figure was more likely £50 million ($60.99 million).
Will Divorce Shake Murdoch's Business Landscape?
Murdoch is a media mogul, will divorce shake up his business landscape?
He has a number of powerful media organizations in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, and his News Corporation controls well-known media such as Fox News, "New York Post", "Wall Street Journal" and "The Times" in the United States.
Data map: In 2016, Murdoch (middle) and relatives and friends who attended his wedding.
"New York Times" analysis said that Murdoch's fourth divorce is unlikely to change the ownership structure of the companies he holds shares.
Because the Murdoch family's stake in the Murdoch-founded company is held in a tightly managed trust.
"The Times" also said that the divorce move may not have an impact on Murdoch's media property ownership structure.
And, as early as when Murdoch opened his fourth marriage, his aides and people close to his family said that Murdoch was happy to spend more time with his new wife, for his children— Most importantly, his eventual choice of successor, Lachlan, left room for them to gain a foothold at the top of the family.
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