ΥΠΕΡΑΣΠΙΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑΣ, ΤΗ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΥΝΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΛΟΓΙΚΗΣ: News Corp. Shareholders Want Murdoch Sons Out

Κυριακή 30 Οκτωβρίου 2011

News Corp. Shareholders Want Murdoch Sons Out

by Kristina Chew
October 24, 2011
10:30 pm

42 comments News Corp. Shareholders Want Murdoch Sons Out

The phone hacking scandal seems to be taking its toll on Rupert Murdoch’s hold on his media empire. Last week, News Corporation shareholders issued a “damning verdict” to his son James Murdoch, the company’s deputy chief operating officer, and cast his future at the helm of the company deeply into doubt. At an annual meeting in Los Angeles last week, shareholders voted for the most part against reinstating James Murdoch and his brother Lachlan to the board. 35 percent of shareholders voted against the re-election of James Murdoch and 34 percent against his brother. Rupert Murdoch remained popular with investors, 84.4 percent of whom voted for his re-election, but a good number who represented 12 million votes abstained.

Shareholders also signaled their wish for more independence on the News Corp. board with more than 35 percent voting against Natalie Bancroft, a scion of the family that sold Dow Jones to News Corp., and more than 32 percent voting against Andrew S. B. Knight, who is a former executive of News Corp. and now heads the board’s compensation committee. Chase Carey, the News Corporation’s chief operating officer and now Murdoch’s likely successor, received 90.5 percent of the vote. The two newest directors — former New York City schools chancellor Joel I. Klein and the venture capitalist James W. Breyer — each received more than 96 percent of the vote.

All eyes have been on James Murdoch over the phone hacking scandal and especially regarding his statements about what he knew or did not know about how extensive a practice phone hacking was. He is to be called back for questioning by the Parliament culture, media and sport select committee next month.

Facing questioning by the committee on Monday was Les Hinton, the former chairman of the News of the World’s UK parent News International who stepped down as the CEO of Dow Jones in July as details of the phone hacking scandal surface. Hinton, who was questioned via satellite, said that he was right to tell Parliament in 2009 that phone hacking at the NoW was restricted to a single reporter. It has since emerged that Hinton had been sent a letter in 2007 from NoW former royals editor Clive Goodman that suggested that hacking was far more widespread. Hinton downplayed the contents of the letter (“I don’t think I’d regard Mr Goodman’s letter as evidence of anything. They were accusations and allegations”) and said he was hard pressed to remember events from up to four years ago.

That prompted Labour MP Paul Farrelly to jokingly compare Hinton to a mushroom. “You seem to have been kept in the dark by a lot of people,” Farrelly said.

Any chance that James Murdoch might invoke some of the “mushroom defense” too when he faces the committee next month?

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Photo by alandenney

Jane B.

6:39pm PDT on Oct 27, 2011

Why would anybody want Murdoch's sons IN? I believe this is about money, isn't it? What's all this Zionist talk? If a Christian, Catholic or Muslim did it the results would be the same.

Sound M.

9:49pm PDT on Oct 25, 2011

@emanuel v., except for the fact the Murdochs are criminals your comment is insane.

Emanuel v.

9:16pm PDT on Oct 25, 2011

The Murdochs are Zionist Crooks. The best thing is, stop buying into their lying publications . Their misinformation is not worth the read. Read the uncensored news and you'll not be indoctrinated and it may even save your life, since the ZIONISTS are all into the depopulation agenda 21 of the UN, simply put , they want to exterminate us.

Sue H.

8:56pm PDT on Oct 25, 2011

Very good to see that shareholders are waking up to the fact that they can make a big
difference.

Dominic C.

7:33pm PDT on Oct 25, 2011

Shareholders should vote out the Murdoch dynasty and the News Corp into a responsible news agency.

Lynn C.

6:39pm PDT on Oct 25, 2011

Thanks for keeping us updated. It'll be a significant indicator for the long term clean-up the world needs.

Dolores D.

5:58pm PDT on Oct 25, 2011

TY for the update.

FD S.

5:48pm PDT on Oct 25, 2011

Probably a good idea... the apple never falls far from the tree.

AbdulAziz A.

2:36pm PDT on Oct 25, 2011

Fox and Murdochs are two faces of the same ugly Zionist, manipulative coin. Both need to be changed as soon as possible.

Enough damage has been done due to freedom given to them to expand, take over and plunder what ever came in their way (simply because they looked after the rulers who allowed them to carry on with their criminal actions)