James Murdoch QUITS board of News Corp: Rupert Murdoch's son blames 'disagreements over certain editorial content published by the company's news outlets' in terse resignation letter
James Murdoch has announced he is stepping down from the board of News Corp, citing editorial differences over content published by its media platforms, which include The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post.
'My resignation is due to disagreements over certain editorial content published by the Company's news outlets and certain other strategic decisions,' he said in a statement on Friday.
James, 47, the younger son of Australian-born media mogul and News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch, had been on the board of directors since 2013.
He did not go into detail about his differences with the company however, he has been publicly critical of its news platforms in the past.
News Corp is one of the two major media conglomerates owned by the Murdochs, the other being Fox Corporation, home to conservative news network Fox News, the Fox broadcast and sports networks and local TV stations.
James Murdoch, the younger son of Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch (pictured together in 2013) announced he is resigning from the board of News Corp on Friday
In his resignation letter, James cited 'disagreements over certain editorial content' as the reason for his departure
James and older brother Lachlan (far left) had shared power at 21st Century Fox, but the sale of much of the Fox entertainment business to Disney in 2019 saw James depart as CEO. (Pictured: Rupert Murdoch with his sons in 2016)
In January, James and his wife Kathryn spoke out against the family business for promoting climate change 'denials' during the Australian bushfire crisis.
The pair released a statement saying they were 'disappointed' by the coverage of the fires by Fox News and other News Corp outlets.
'Kathryn and James's views on climate are well established and their frustration with some of the News Corp and Fox coverage of the topic is also well known.
'They are particularly disappointed with the ongoing denial among the news outlets in Australia given obvious evidence to the contrary,' their statement read.
The 'denials' were in reference to allegations that arson and not climate change were to blame for the destructive wildfires.
His comments were perceived as 'unprecedented' and sparked speculation of a feud within the family since he rarely speaks publicly about his role in the business.
James is known as the more liberal Murdoch brother, while older brother Lachlan's views seem to be more aligned with those of his conservative father.
Rumors of a family rift have swirled over the years after eldest son Lachlan (pictured with James, father Rupert and mom Anna in 1987) became heir apparent of his dad's media empire
In January, James, the more liberal of the Murdoch brothers, and his wife Kathryn spoke out against the family business for promoting climate change 'denials' during the Australian bushfire crisis
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