James Murdoch steps down from News International

News Corporation has announced that James Murdoch has "relinquished his position" as executive chairman of News International following a move to New York.

In a statement James Murdoch, son of News Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch, said following "the successful launch of the Sun on Sunday and new business practices in place across all titles" its UK publishing division "is now in a strong position to build on its successes in the future".

News International is publisher of the Times, Sunday Times and Sun newspapers, and previously the News of the World, which closed in July last year amid the phone-hacking scandal.

Both James and Rupert Murdoch have appeared before MPs in the UK to answer questions on the scandal.

In his new role as deputy chief operating officer with News Corporation James Murdoch added: "I look forward to expanding my commitment to News Corporation's international television businesses and other key initiatives across the company".

News Corporation announced the promotion of James Murdoch to deputy chief operating officer and relocation to New York in March last year.

In his new role it is understood he will have more of a focus on News Corporation's global television business.

News Corporation said in today's statement that chief executive of News International Tom Mockridge "will continue in his post and will report to News Corporation President and COO Chase Carey".

"We are all grateful for James' leadership at News International and across Europe and Asia, where he has made lasting contributions to the group's strategy in paid digital content and its efforts to improve and enhance governance programs," James' father Rupert Murdoch said in a release.

"He has demonstrated leadership and continues to create great value at Star TV, Sky Deutschland, Sky Italia, and BSkyB. Now that he has moved to New York, James will continue to assume a variety of essential corporate leadership mandates, with particular focus on important pay-TV businesses and broader international operations."

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