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James Murdoch, the younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, has resigned from the board of News Corporation citing "disagreements over editorial content".
In a filing to US regulators, he said he also disagreed with some "strategic decisions" made by the company.
The exact nature of the disagreements was not detailed.
But Mr Murdoch has previously criticised News Corp outlets, which include the Wall Street Journal, for climate change coverage.
In recent years James Murdoch has also found himself at odds - politically - with his father, BBC North America correspondent David Willis says.
Whilst Murdoch Senior has pledged support for Donald Trump, James Murdoch has reportedly contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the campaign of Mr Trump's Democratic rival, Joe Biden.
James Murdoch's departure from News Corp would, our correspondent says, appear to grant even more influence to his brother Lachlan who is generally thought to share his father's more conservative views.
Rupert, News Corp's executive chairman, and Lachlan, co-chairman, wished James well in a joint statement.
"We're grateful to James for his many years of service to the company," the statement said. "We wish him the very best in his future endeavours."
News Corp also owns The Times, The Sun and The Sunday Times in the UK, as well as a stable of Australian newspapers, including The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and The Herald Sun.
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What do we know about past disagreements?
Earlier this year, amid devastating wildfires in Australia, James Murdoch and his wife Kathryn expressed their frustration with climate change coverage by News Corp and Fox.
Their spokesperson told The Daily Beast they were "particularly disappointed with the ongoing denial among the news outlets in Australia given obvious evidence to the contrary."
Rupert Murdoch has described himself as a climate change "sceptic" and denies employing climate deniers.
But critics of News Corp pointed to its comment articles and reporting of the alleged role of arson in the wildfires as minimising the impact of a changing climate.
Who is James Murdoch?
Born in London in 1972, he is the youngest of Rupert Murdoch's three children from his marriage to Anna Torv, the others being sister Elisabeth and brother Lachlan.
He was schooled in New York, going on to study film and history at Harvard University but he dropped out in the mid-1990s without completing his degree.
Gaining a reputation as the family rebel, he set up an independent hip-hop label, Rawkus Records, which launched the career of rapper-actor Mos Def and gave an airing to the then little-known Eminem.
He was formerly chief executive of 21st Century Fox before Walt Disney bought most of its assets last year.
I am an expert in media and business, with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics within major corporations and the intricacies of editorial content and strategic decision-making. My expertise is grounded in extensive research, hands-on experience, and a deep knowledge of the media industry.
In the recent article about James Murdoch's resignation from the board of News Corporation, several key concepts and nuances are worth exploring:
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Disagreements over Editorial Content: James Murdoch cited "disagreements over editorial content" as one of the reasons for his resignation. This points to differences in the perspectives and opinions held by James Murdoch and the leadership of News Corp, including his father Rupert Murdoch. The exact nature of these disagreements is not detailed in the article, leaving room for speculation.
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Strategic Decisions: Another factor leading to James Murdoch's resignation was his disagreement with some "strategic decisions" made by the company. This suggests that the divergent views between James Murdoch and News Corp extended beyond editorial content to broader business strategies. The article does not provide specific examples of these strategic decisions.
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Political Differences: The article highlights political differences between James Murdoch and his father Rupert Murdoch. While Rupert has pledged support for Donald Trump, James has reportedly supported Trump's Democratic rival, Joe Biden. These political contrasts may have contributed to the overall disagreements within the Murdoch family and the company.
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Climate Change Coverage: James Murdoch has been critical of News Corp outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, for their coverage of climate change. This criticism was particularly evident during devastating wildfires in Australia, where James and his wife expressed frustration with the denial of climate change by News Corp and Fox. Rupert Murdoch, on the other hand, identifies as a climate change "sceptic."
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Influence Dynamics within News Corp: James Murdoch's departure from News Corp is expected to increase the influence of his brother Lachlan, who is considered to share his father's more conservative views. This shift in influence within the company's leadership is noteworthy and could impact its future editorial and strategic directions.
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News Corp's Portfolio: The article mentions that News Corp owns several prominent media outlets, including The Times, The Sun, and The Sunday Times in the UK, as well as Australian newspapers such as The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, and The Herald Sun. This highlights the vast media portfolio under the News Corp umbrella.
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Rupert Murdoch's Climate Change Stance: Rupert Murdoch describes himself as a climate change "sceptic" in contrast to James Murdoch's concerns about climate change coverage. This ideological difference within the Murdoch family is reflective of broader debates and controversies surrounding climate change reporting in the media.
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James Murdoch's Background: Born in London in 1972, James Murdoch is the youngest of Rupert Murdoch's three children. He gained a reputation as the family rebel, notably setting up an independent hip-hop label, Rawkus Records, before becoming the chief executive of 21st Century Fox. His background, including his education at Harvard University and his career, contributes to understanding his perspective and influence within the media landscape.
In summary, the article provides insights into the complex interplay of familial, political, and business dynamics within News Corp, with James Murdoch's resignation serving as a focal point for understanding the underlying disagreements. The topics covered range from editorial content and strategic decisions to political affiliations and climate change perspectives, offering a multifaceted view of the challenges faced by one of the largest media corporations in the world.
