• Ofcom scrutinising Murdoch's place in BSkyB

    Submitted by ITV Production on Mar 12
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: UK media watchdog Ofcom has stepped up its investigation into whether James Murdoch is a "fit and proper" person to sit on the board of BSkyB.

    The open ended Ofcom investigation is examining mounting evidence of wrongdoing at Rupert Murdoch?s British newspapers and whether it impinges on BSkyB as a "fit and proper" holder of a license.

    It will increase the scrutiny on Murdoch?s position at the pay TV service provider. Reports add that this could eventually lead to News Corp selling down its 39.1 per cent stake in a company it wanted to buy outright last summer.

    Ofcom has formed a project team to examine evidence of phone hacking and corrupt payments emerging from the police and the Leveson inquiry.

    The media regulator set up a dedicated group of seven or eight staff under the name Project Apple.

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    James Murdoch
  • James Murdoch steps down as News International exec chairman

    Submitted by ITV Production on Feb 29
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: James Murdoch has stepped down as the executive chairman of News International, the publisher of the now defunct News of the World, to focus on the broadcast business of News Corporation, the parent company of News International.

    The junior Murdoch will relocate to News Corp?s headquarters in New York as the deputy chief operating officer, News Corp said in a statement.

    Tom Mockridge, CEO of News International, will continue in his post and will report to News Corporation president and COO Chase Carey.

    "We are all grateful for James? leadership at News International and across Europe and Asia, where he has made lasting contributions to the group?s strategy in paid digital content and its efforts to improve and enhance governance programmes," said News Corporation chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch.

    "He has demonstrated leadership and continues to create great value at Star TV, Sky Deutschland, Sky Italia, and BSkyB. Now that he has moved to New York, James will continue to assume a variety of essential corporate leadership mandates, with particular focus on important pay-TV businesses and broader international operations."

    James Murdoch, who was under fire from the UK authorities following the phone hacking scandal that had engulfed the News of the World, said he was looking to his relocation to News Corp.

    "I deeply appreciate the dedication of my many talented colleagues at News International who work tirelessly to inform the public and am confident about the tremendous momentum we have achieved under the leadership of my father and Tom Mockridge," he said.

    "With the successful launch of The Sun on Sunday and new business practices in place across all titles, News International is now in a strong position to build on its successes in the future. As Deputy Chief Operating Officer, I look forward to expanding my commitment to News Corporation?s international television businesses and other key initiatives across the Company."
    NOTW ceased publication after 168 years following its final print edition on 10 July which resulted in the loss of around 200 jobs.

    The News International publishes three news papers, The Times, The Sun and The Sunday Times besides the launch of Sunday edition of The Sun.

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    James Murdoch
  • Anderson to step down as News Corp group director

    Submitted by ITV Production on Jan 30
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate News Corp has announced that its Group Director, Strategy and Corporate Affairs, Europe and Asia Matthew Anderson will step down from his position in London effective 31 March 2012.

    Anderson will fulfil plans to return to the San Francisco Bay Area with his family and pursue new opportunities. He will continue his relationship with News Corp. as a senior advisor to the company focusing on select international initiatives and relevant directorships.

    News Corp. chairman, CEO Rupert Murdoch said, "For more than a decade,Matthew has made a valuable contribution to building News Corporation?s businesses in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He is a tenacious and effective executive whose counsel and skills have made a real difference".

    Anderson began working with Star TV and News Corporation in 2000 when he was chief executive for the Asia Pacific region of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide based in Hong Kong.

    In 2005, he joined British Sky Broadcasting, where he served as Group Director, Communications and Brand Marketing, playing a role in developing Sky?s ?Believe in better? brand positioning and ?The Bigger Picture? social and environmental initiatives. Sky became the world?s first carbon neutral
    media company - a target that News Corporation achieved several years later. Matthew joined News Corporation in April 2008 with a broad remit across Europe and Asia. In addition to his executive responsibilities, Anderson represents News Corp on the Boards of Moby Group and Sky Pro Cycling.

    News Corp Deputy COO and Chairman and CEO International James Murdoch said, "Matthew has played a key role in many of our most important projects for more than ten years. He has ranged across varied and wide terrain, and has been a versatile, resourceful and highly insightful colleague. The whole team will miss him greatly. Upon his long planned return to California with his family we wish him the very best and look forward to the next chapter."

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    Matthew Anderson
  • James Murdoch resigns from newspaper boards

    Submitted by ITV Production on Nov 24
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: Amidst the controversy over the phone hacking scandal, James Murdoch has stepped down as a director of News Group Newspapers, which publishes The Sun and used to produce News of The World before the scandal forced it to close.

    He also resigned from the boards of The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times

    The move reports state could pave the way for the newspapers to be sold off as News Corp tries to control the damage that has been done. He is still News International chairman though.

    Meanwhile Britain?s shadow culture secretary Harriet Harman has called for Murdoch to explain why he has stepped down from the boards of News Group Newspapers and Times Newspapers.

    "James Murdoch should make clear why he has stepped down in this way. This does not lessen in any way the need for him to answer questions or take responsibility for what happened on his watch. Furthermore, the concerns about whether he is a fit and proper person to run BSkyB remain," she said in a statement.

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    James Murdoch
  • BSkyB board to meet on Thursday

    Submitted by ITV Production on Jul 25
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: James Murdoch‘s fate as BSkyB chairman could be decided on Thursday when the pay TV service provider‘s board meets to discuss corporate governance.

    BSkyB will announce its financial results on Friday.

    Two former News of the World executives have accused Murdoch of misleading Parliament when he learnt of the reporting practices of the former newspaper. Some media reports suggest Rupert Murdoch may be forced to sacrifice his son to save his empire in much the way that Abraham in the Bible had to sacrifice his son. There is also speculation about whether Lachlan could return to the fold if the sacrifice is made.

    Media reports also state that the US Department of Justice has been preparing to issue subpoenas as part of preliminary investigations relating to alleged foreign bribery and alleged hacking of voicemail of 9/11 victims.

    Meanwhile, US media conglomerate News Corp‘s Management and Standards Committee (MSC) has published its Terms of Reference (ToR). The MSC is authorised to co-operate fully with all relevant investigations and inquiries in the News of the World phone hacking case, police payments and all other related issues across News International, as well as conducting its own enquiries where appropriate.

    News Corp has authorised the MSC to have oversight of, and take responsibility for, all matters in relation to the News of the World phone hacking case, police payments investigation and all other connected issues at News International (NI).

    These include, but are not limited to, the police enquiries, civil proceedings, Parliamentary proceedings, Lord Justice Leveson‘s public inquiry and the PCC.

    The MSC shall ensure full co-operation with all relevant investigations and is authorised to conduct whatever internal investigations it thinks fit to enable it to carry out its role in relation to all NI papers.

    The MSC has powers to direct full co-operation from NI personnel with all external and internal investigations and to preserve, obtain and disclose appropriate documents.

    The MSC will review existing compliance systems and will recommend, and oversee the implementation of, new policies, practices and systems designed to create an updated and robust governance, compliance and legal structure for NI.

    The MSC will report directly to Joel Klein, EVP and News Corporation board director, who continues to have executive authority over these matters. 

    Joel Klein shall in turn report in this role directly to Viet Dinh, an independent director and Chairman of News Corporation‘s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Joel Klein and Viet Dinh shall keep the News Corporation board of directors advised, as appropriate.

    As already announced, the Chairman of the MSC is Lord Grabiner QC. The full-time executive members of the MSC are William Lewis and Simon Greenberg. Jeffrey Palker continues in his role as News Corporation‘s General Counsel for Europe and Asia as well as being an executive member of the MSC.

    Linklaters has been appointed as legal adviser to the MSC.

    The MSC is authorised to retain such other professional advisers as it thinks fit.
     

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    James Murdoch
  • Rupert Murdoch gets support from key shareholder

    Submitted by ITV Production on Jul 22
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: News Corp shareholder Prince Alwaleed bin Talal issued a statement saying that he continues to see the company as a valuable and long term investment and had confidence in the leadership of Rupert Murdoch.

    "I continue to see News Corp as a valuable and long term investment and remain both supportive of and confident in the leadership of Rupert and James Murdoch," the Saudi billionaire said in a statement.

    The second biggest shareholder in News Corp., Prince Alwaleed has a seven per cent stake in News Corp and is viewed as an important ally of the Murdoch family. Last year News Corp spent $70 million (?43 million) on a stake in the Prince‘s Rotana media company. 

    It was the Saudi billionaire‘s intervention in calling for Rebekah Brooks‘ "to go" as News International chief executive that was seen as instrumental in her decision to resign and Rupert Murdoch‘s willingness to accept her resignation.

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    Rupert Murdoch
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