These three names that come to mind for me are Televisa, NewsCorp, and Viacom.
The founders of Spanish International Communications Corp. (SICC), then SIN, and, later, a company that became Univision.
This conflict, which involved charges of deception and double-dealing, led to the sale of the company to Hallmark Cards and effectively ended the original owners' control, though it's important to note that Televisa is a separate and unrelated Mexican media giant that has faced its own challenges, like competition from other companies and changing media landscapes.
The SICC conflict and its aftermath
- The feud: The conflict was between the founders of SICC and their sons, leading to internal strife and charges of double-dealing.
- The legal ruling: In 1986, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) administrative law judge refused to renew the licenses for SICC's US stations. The ruling stated the company was illegally controlled by its Mexican owners, the Azcárraga family, which was in violation of foreign ownership limits.
- The sale: As a result, SICC was forced to sell its ten TV stations for approximately $300 million in 1987 to Hallmark Cards and its partner.
- The new company: The new owners established Univision Holdings Inc., which included the renamed Univision Network.
- The outcome: This sale marked the end of the Azcárraga family's control over the company they had built, which is the "toppling of the TV empire" the headline refers to.
Televisa's situation
- A separate company: While the headline might seem to refer to Televisa, the feud described above involved SICC, a company that had a separate history from Televisa.
- Televisa's challenges: Televisa has faced its own struggles, including being a target of public criticism and facing competition from other companies.
- Political and economic shifts: The rise of streaming services and the increasing power of tech and telecom giants like Carlos Slim have also created new competitive pressures for Televisa.
- Government actions: The Mexican government has also taken steps to challenge Televisa's dominance by creating new media networks and fining it for abuses of its dominant position.
The Murdoch family succession battles, a public and legal struggle over control of the family's media empire, which was finally settled in 2025. The resolution involved a complex deal where Rupert Murdoch's son, Lachlan, effectively bought out his siblings, Prudence, Elisabeth, and James, who each received over $1 billion to exit the business. This allowed Lachlan to consolidate control of News Corp and Fox Corporation, ending the decades-long dispute, and inspired the HBO series Succession.
The conflict
- Succession plan: For years, there was a conflict over the future leadership of the media empire after Rupert Murdoch, pitting conservative Lachlan against more liberal siblings James and Elisabeth.
- Family trust: The struggle was rooted in a family trust that controlled the companies' voting shares.
- Legal battles: The dispute led to a legal challenge when Rupert Murdoch attempted to change the terms of the trust to ensure Lachlan's control, which was initially opposed by his other children.
The resolution
- Buyout deal: In September 2025, a settlement was reached where Lachlan bought out his three siblings for approximately $1.1 billion each.
- Consolidation of power: The deal allowed Lachlan to take full control of the media empire.
- End of the feud: This settlement resolved the succession crisis and secured Lachlan's leadership until at least 2050.
- Inspiration for Succession: The real-life events of the feud between the Murdoch family directly inspired the plot of the HBO series Succession.
Bitter Murdoch family feud ends as eldest inherits empire, and the growth of Rbert Murdoch's empire spans eight decades on four continents. a life that's been one of wealth and power
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The Murdoch Succession: Dynasty, Division, and the Future of News ...
The power struggle for control of Viacom and CBS ultimately pitted the aging patriarch, Sumner Redstone, and his daughter, Shari Redstone, against Viacom's CEO, Philippe Dauman, and others. The conflict centered on the future of the media conglomerate, with Shari eventually succeeding in merging the two companies after her father's death, ending the legal battles and a period of corporate instability.
- The main players: The central figures were Sumner Redstone, the founder and majority shareholder of National Amusements (which controlled Viacom and CBS), and his daughter, Shari Redstone. They battled against then-Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and other board members who resisted the merger that Shari favored.
- The conflict: The feud escalated after the separation of Viacom and CBS in 2006. With Sumner Redstone's health declining, a power struggle ensued over his legacy and the future direction of the company.
- Shari wanted to merge the two companies, which she believed would lead to greater efficiency and value.
- Dauman and others resisted the merger, preferring to keep the companies separate and maintain a more favorable business environment.
- The resolution: The legal battles ended in 2016 with a settlement that ousted Philippe Dauman. Following this, Shari Redstone ultimately succeeded in her goal of merging Viacom and CBS, becoming the controlling shareholder and chair of the new, single entity. The merger was seen as a way to simplify the company structure and a move that benefited the future of its various media properties, including Star Trek...