News Corp split begins as Murdoch names unit chief
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NEW YORK (AFP) - Media magnate Rupert Murdoch named close confidante Robert Thomson, an Australian, as the new boss of his newspaper and publishing empire Monday, paving the way for a major restructure at News Corp.
The appointment of Mr Thomson, 52, currently editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, was Mr Murdoch's opening gambit in a split of his media and entertainment conglomerate that is expected to conclude within weeks.
But the announcement was accompanied by the unexpected shutdown of the media group's iPad newspaper The Daily, due to a lack of readers.
Mr Murdoch's plan is to break News Corp into two companies, one with the fast-growing film and television operations, to be named Fox Group, and the other - retaining the News Corp name - managing news and publishing assets.
