If you’ve ever picked up a copy of the pinkish-grey broadsheet or scrolled through its paywalled digital pages, you know the vibe. It’s the "Bible of Capitalism." But behind the ticker symbols and the deep-dive investigations, the question of who is the owner of Wall Street Journal has actually become one of the most dramatic stories in modern media history.
Honestly, it’s like something straight out of a prestige TV drama.
Wait—it literally was. The hit show Succession was famously inspired by the very family that controls this paper. As of 2026, the answer is both simple and incredibly complicated. On paper, the owner is News Corp. But in reality, the steering wheel is held by one man: Lachlan Murdoch.
The Billion-Dollar Empire: Who Owns the Wall Street Journal Today?
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way first. The Wall Street Journal is the crown jewel of Dow Jones & Company. Dow Jones, in turn, is a subsidiary of News Corp, a massive publicly traded media conglomerate.
If you look at the stock ticker (NWSA), you’ll see thousands of shareholders. But don’t let that fool you. This isn’t a "democracy" in the way most public companies are. Because of a dual-class share structure, the Murdoch family has maintained an iron grip on the voting power for decades.
The Big 2025 Shift
Up until recently, there was a massive question mark hanging over the future of the paper. Rupert Murdoch, the legendary and often controversial patriarch, spent years trying to figure out how to hand over the keys without his children tearing the empire apart.
In late 2025, a historic settlement finally went down. After a messy, semi-public legal battle in Reno, Nevada, a deal was struck. Rupert’s other children—James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—agreed to sell their personal holdings in News Corp and Fox. They walked away with about $1.1 billion each.
That left Lachlan Murdoch as the undisputed king of the hill. He is now the Chair of News Corp and the man who ultimately decides the direction of the Journal.
Why Everyone Fought Over This Paper
You might wonder why a newspaper—in an era where print is supposedly "dying"—is worth a multi-billion dollar family feud.
It’s about influence. Pure and simple.
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The Wall Street Journal isn’t just some local rag. It has over 4.3 million subscribers. When the Journal’s editorial board speaks, the markets listen. When their reporters break a story about a Fortune 500 CEO, stock prices move.
The $5 Billion Gamble
To understand the current ownership, you have to go back to 2007. That’s when Rupert Murdoch bought Dow Jones from the Bancroft family for a staggering $5 billion.
At the time, people thought he was crazy. He paid a 67% premium over the market price. The Bancrofts had owned the paper for 105 years and were terrified Murdoch would turn it into a tabloid like the New York Post. They eventually took the money, but some family members later admitted they regretted the sale after the News Corp phone-hacking scandals broke in the UK.
Is the Owner Changing the Content?
One of the biggest debates surrounding who is the owner of Wall Street Journal is about editorial independence.
The Journal has a very famous "church and state" divide. The news side (the reporters) is known for being strictly factual and incredibly rigorous. The opinion side (the editorial board) is unapologetically conservative and pro-free market.
- The News Side: Currently led by Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker, who took over in early 2023. She’s the first woman to lead the paper and has been pushing for a more "digital-first," punchy style.
- The Opinion Side: Still overseen by Paul Gigot. This is where the Murdoch influence is often felt most clearly, though the paper maintains that the two sides operate independently.
Critics often point out that the paper’s tone shifted after the 2007 takeover. It became more general-interest, competing directly with the New York Times rather than just sticking to financial data.
The 2026 Landscape: Digital Dominance
If you think owning the Journal is about smelling ink and newsprint, you’re living in the past. Under Lachlan Murdoch’s leadership, the business model has shifted almost entirely to digital.
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In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, News Corp reported that digital revenues at Dow Jones made up a whopping 84% of their total revenue. They aren't just selling "news" anymore; they are selling data. Their "Risk & Compliance" division—which helps banks and companies stay on the right side of the law—is growing faster than the newspaper itself.
Key Players in the Building
While the Murdochs own the "house," these are the people running the rooms:
- Robert Thomson: The CEO of News Corp. He’s a former WSJ editor himself and is basically the architect of their modern business strategy.
- Almar Latour: The CEO of Dow Jones and Publisher of the Journal. He’s the one focused on making sure those 4 million subscribers keep paying their monthly fees.
What This Means for You
Does it matter that a single family has this much power over a primary news source?
Well, it depends on who you ask. Supporters say the Murdochs' deep pockets saved the Journal during a time when other papers were going bankrupt. They invested in technology and global expansion when others were cutting staff.
Detractors worry about the concentration of media power. When one family owns the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, Fox News, and major papers in the UK and Australia, they have a massive megaphone to shape public opinion.
Actionable Insights for Readers
If you're a regular reader or thinking about subscribing, keep these things in mind:
- Check the Byline: The news side is still world-class. If you see a report from their investigative team, it’s been through a gauntlet of lawyers and editors.
- Know the Bias: Understand that the Editorial Page is a separate beast. It reflects a specific worldview that aligns with the owners' philosophy.
- Watch the Professional Tools: If you’re in business, the WSJ’s "Pro" verticals (like WSJ Pro Central Banking or Cybersecurity) are often more valuable than the front-page news.
- Follow the Money: Since News Corp is public, you can actually read their quarterly earnings reports. If you want to know what the owners really care about, look at where they are investing—right now, it's AI-driven data and B2B services.
The saga of who is the owner of Wall Street Journal isn't just a business story; it's a look at how power is consolidated and handed down in the 21st century. Whether you love the Murdochs or hate them, they've ensured the Journal remains at the center of the global conversation.
To stay informed on how this ownership impacts the news you consume, you can monitor the official News Corp Investor Relations page or follow media analysts like Brian Wieser, who specialize in the Murdoch empire's movements.