Rupert Murdoch's younger son James is to step down as chief executive of Britain's BSkyB to head News Corp's Asian and European operations, in a move that appears to make him heir apparent to the global media empire.
Mr Murdoch (34), will become chairman and chief executive of Europe and Asia at News Corporation, taking charge of its international broadcasting, print and Internet divisions from Asian satellite television operator Star TV to Sky Italia.
He will remain at BSkyB as non-executive chairman, replacing his 76-year-old father Rupert, and will be replaced as chief executive by the group's chief financial officer, Jeremy Darroch, the dominant British pay-TV firm said today.
James Murdoch will rejoin the board of directors of News Corp, on which he served from 2000 to 2003, and report to Peter Chernin, News Corp. President and chief operating officer.
He will be based in London, taking up his role immediately. "James is a talented and proven executive," his father Rupert said in a statement. "He has transformed Sky."
"His experience at Sky, combined with his track record in Asia while running Star, and prior roles, make him uniquely qualified to take forward these exciting businesses that have grown so much over the last decade."
In a separate statement, News Corp said Les Hinton, the executive chairman of its UK newspaper group News International, would become chief executive of Dow Jones, taking up the position when News Corp's acquisition of Dow is completed next week.