Elisabeth Murdoch's News Corp. Board Bid Delayed

Shine Group chief's nomination tabled in wake of phone hacking scandal

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/5/2011 7:26:36 PM

Elisabeth Murdoch will no longer be joining the board of News Corporation this fall as was previously planned, the company said in a statement late Friday.
 
She was supposed to be nominated to join the board after News Corp. acquired her Shine Group earlier this year, but that has now been delayed in the wake of the phone hacking scandal that has rocked News Corp.'s British newspapers and invited scrutiny to the company's top management. Elisabeth Murdoch is the daughter of News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch.
 
"Elisabeth Murdoch suggested to the independent directors some weeks ago that she felt it would be inappropriate to include her nomination to the board of News Corp at this year's AGM, as had been announced by Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch at the time of the acquisition of Shine Group earlier this year," said News Corp. board member Viet Dinh, chairman of the nominating and corporate governance committee, in a statement Friday.
 
"Both Elisabeth and the Board hope this decision reaffirms that News Corp. aspires to the highest standards of corporate governance and will continue to act in the best interests of all stakeholders, be they shareholders, employees or the billions of consumers who News Corp. content informs, entertains and sometimes provokes every year."