James Murdoch Steps Down at News International

James Murdoch in London last July.

Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, News Corporation, announced on Wednesday that his son James had stepped down as executive chairman of News International, the British newspaper subsidiary that is embroiled in layers of overlapping police and judicial inquiries into phone hacking and illegal payments to the police.

The News Corporation statement on Wednesday said that Tom Mockridge, chief executive of News International, would continue in his role and report to Chase Carey, president of News Corporation.

Mr. Murdoch said that James would now focus on the company’s pay-television businesses and its international operations. The younger Mr. Murdoch was named News Corporation’s deputy chief operating officer last year. (FL)