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Marion McKeone: The two defamation cases that could spell the end for Fox News

The outcome of the Dominion and SmartMatic lawsuits could finish Rupert Murdoch’s plan to reunite his empire, scupper son Lachlan Murdoch’s chances of succession – and possibly financially decimate the company

Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, co-chairmen of Twenty-First Century Fox: Lachlan was until recently, at least – the leading contender among the Murdoch clan to succeed his father as kingpin of his multibillion dollar media empire. Picture: Bloomberg

It has been a busy few weeks for Lachlan Murdoch, the 51-year-old billionaire and – until recently, at least – the leading contender among the Murdoch clan to succeed his father as kingpin of his multibillion dollar media empire.

In between opening the Fox Sports Plaza in Qatar, catching a spot of World Cup action and hosting a Christmas party at his Sydney estate on Thursday, the elder of the two Murdoch sons stopped off ...