Murdoch resigns as director of several News Corp boards
Source: Agencies |
July 23, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MEDIA mogul Rupert Murdoch has resigned as a director of a number of News Corp boards overseeing his Britain newspapers. He also quit from some of the media company's subsidiary boards in the United States.
Murdoch stepped down last week as a director of NI Group, Times Newspaper Holdings and News Corp Investments in the UK, said Daisy Dunlop, spokeswoman for News Corp's British arm, News International. The companies oversee The Sun, The Times, and The Sunday Times.
It was not immediately clear which of News Corp's US boards Murdoch had left. Britain's Telegraph newspaper, which first reported the news late on Saturday, said those details had not yet been disclosed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
News International sought to play down the significance of the resignations, saying in a statement that "this is nothing more than a corporate housecleaning exercise prior to the company split."
That was a reference to News Corp's announcement on June 28 that it would separate its publishing business, which includes The Wall Street Journal, from its much more profitable media and entertainment business - forming two distinct, publicly traded companies. Under those proposed changes, Murdoch, 81, will chair both of the companies, although he would continue as chief executive of the media and entertainment company only.
The announcement suggests Murdoch may be distancing himself from his British newspaper interests, which have been shaken by a widespread phone hacking scandal.
The scandal erupted anew last year when it emerged that Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World tabloid had systematically hacked voicemails of politicians and celebrities. The revelations have rocked Britain's establishment and triggered three parallel police investigations that have resulted in more than 40 arrests. Illegal eavesdropping allegations at the News of the World led to the resignation of Rebekah Brooks, then-CEO of News International, who has been accused of perverting justice in the scandal.
Both Murdoch and his son James had to testify in front of a parliamentary committee. The committee declared the elder Murdoch unfit to run an international business.
James Murdoch had already resigned as chairman of News International.
Murdoch stepped down last week as a director of NI Group, Times Newspaper Holdings and News Corp Investments in the UK, said Daisy Dunlop, spokeswoman for News Corp's British arm, News International. The companies oversee The Sun, The Times, and The Sunday Times.
It was not immediately clear which of News Corp's US boards Murdoch had left. Britain's Telegraph newspaper, which first reported the news late on Saturday, said those details had not yet been disclosed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
News International sought to play down the significance of the resignations, saying in a statement that "this is nothing more than a corporate housecleaning exercise prior to the company split."
That was a reference to News Corp's announcement on June 28 that it would separate its publishing business, which includes The Wall Street Journal, from its much more profitable media and entertainment business - forming two distinct, publicly traded companies. Under those proposed changes, Murdoch, 81, will chair both of the companies, although he would continue as chief executive of the media and entertainment company only.
The announcement suggests Murdoch may be distancing himself from his British newspaper interests, which have been shaken by a widespread phone hacking scandal.
The scandal erupted anew last year when it emerged that Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World tabloid had systematically hacked voicemails of politicians and celebrities. The revelations have rocked Britain's establishment and triggered three parallel police investigations that have resulted in more than 40 arrests. Illegal eavesdropping allegations at the News of the World led to the resignation of Rebekah Brooks, then-CEO of News International, who has been accused of perverting justice in the scandal.
Both Murdoch and his son James had to testify in front of a parliamentary committee. The committee declared the elder Murdoch unfit to run an international business.
James Murdoch had already resigned as chairman of News International.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
