Rupert Murdoch quits directorships on string of boards behind The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times

Turning his back on newspapers? Rupert Murdoch,
pictured with his son James, has quit as director of a
string of boards behind The Sun, The Times and
The Sunday Times

• Quit NI Group, Times Newspaper Holdings and News Corp Investments
• Part of the 'slow fade of Rupert from the UK,' says media commentator
• Just corporate housecleaning exercise prior to company split, says NI
• James Murdoch quit directorships at NI last year... then stood down as chairman three months later

By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 15:23 EST, 21 July 2012 | UPDATED: 17:07 EST, 21 July 2012

Rupert Murdoch has resigned as director of a string of companies behind UK newspapers The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times, it emerged today.
The move has led to fevered speculation the media mogul is preparing to sell his newspaper group.


According to documents filed with Companies House, Mr Murdoch stepped down as director from the boards of the NI Group, Times Newspaper Holdings and News Corp Investments last week.

He also quit a number of News Corp’s U.S. boards, although the details have not yet been disclosed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Media commentators said it was part of the 'slow fade of Rupert and James (his son) from the UK'.

His decision comes after a powerful group of shareholders called on him to stand down as chairman of News Corporation.   READ MORE

James Murdoch Steps Down As BSkyB Chairman

James Murdoch has resigned as chief executive
and chairman at BSkyB.
(photo: Miguel Villagran/Getty Images)

By Dan Sabbagh and Dominic Rushe, Guardian UK

03 April 12

Rupert Murdoch's son quits as chairman of UK pay-tv giant to avoid becoming a 'lightning rod' for the phone-hacking scandal.

ames Murdoch, once thought of as corporate heir apparent to his father Rupert, is stepping down as chairman of BSkyB after concluding it would be too damaging to stay on and risk a critical verdict from a British parliamentary inquiry into phone hacking.

The 39-year-old, who has been chief executive and then chairman since 2003, said he was leaving the company "as attention continues to be paid to past events at News International", News Corporation's scandal-hit UK newspaper division.

By stepping down, it will mean that no Murdoch occupies a top position at the satellite broadcaster for the first time in years.

Murdoch's decision to quit at this point has surprised friends, given that only a few weeks earlier he resolved to stay on at Sky, despite relocating to New York and having given up his job as executive chairman of News International.

In a statement, the board of BSkyB, which is controlled by News Corporation through a 39.1% stake, said James Murdoch would continue as a non-executive director. He will be succeeded by Nicholas Ferguson.  READ MORE