NEW YORK • Mr James Murdoch, son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and one-time heir of the family media empire, has resigned from the board of News Corp, citing disagreements over editorial content at the company, the parent of The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) 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," the 47-year-old said in a resignation letter on Friday.

He was chief executive of the family's main media business - then called 21st Century Fox - until last year, but he stepped down when most of its assets were sold to Disney.

Since then, he and his family have increasingly gone their separate ways - and he has become more critical of the conservative-leaning editorial direction at News Corp and Fox's news channel.

In recent weeks, tensions have grown over the WSJ's opinion section, known for editorials promoting free markets and conservative principles.

Last month, journalists at the paper demanded a clearer distinction between news and opinion.

They were worried about the opinion section's accuracy and transparency and did not want readers to think it was straight news.

The editorial board responded in a note to readers, saying it would not "wilt under cancel-culture pressure".

"As long as our proprietors allow us the privilege to do so, the opinion pages will continue to publish contributors who speak their minds," the editorial board said.

"And these columns will continue to promote the principles of free people and free markets, which are more important than ever in what is a culture of growing progressive conformity and intolerance."

BLOOMBERG