James Murdoch quits News International

 

James Murdoch remains in his job at parent company News Corporation

James Murdoch has stepped down as executive chairman of News International, the UK newspaper business that owns the Sun and the Times titles.

The newspaper publisher has been tainted by phone-hacking allegations.

The scandal led the company to close its News of the World title in July last year.

Mr Murdoch will remain as deputy chief operating officer of parent group News Corporation, run by his father Rupert.

‘Too big’

James Murdoch, 39, said: “I deeply appreciate the dedication of my many talented colleagues at News International who work tirelessly to inform the public.”

He added that the launch of a new Sunday edition of the Sun and “new business practices” put the company in a “strong position” for the future.

The Labour leader Ed Miliband said it was “right” that James Murdoch had resigned.

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“Start Quote

It implies that 81-year-old Rupert Murdoch isn’t planning to retire or step aside in favour of his son any time soon”

Robert Peston Business editor, BBC News

• Read Robert’s blog

“News International thought it was too big to be challenged, including by politicians. That’s why we need new rules in place at the end of all this process so that one organisation cannot control that much of the newspaper and television market,” Mr Miliband said.

Last year, James Murdoch twice appeared before the UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee to answer questions as part of its inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal.

Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, joined his son at one of the hearings.

Paul Connew, a former News of the World deputy editor, said he was not surprised that James Murdoch had stood down.

“I think you’ve got to look at the bigger picture here,” said Mr Connew.

“Quite clearly there’s going to be criticism of James Murdoch in the culture and media select committee report, which presumably will be coming out in the not too distant future, and I think essentially he’s been moved out of the firing line.”

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The Labour leader Ed Miliband says it is now time to introduce new rules on media ownership.

James Murdoch’s departure also comes as the separate Leveson Inquiry continues to investigate the culture, practices and ethics of the British press as a result of the phone-hacking allegations.

This is continuing to throw a spotlight on activities at both the News of the World and the Sun.

Earlier this week, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers told the inquiry that evidence suggested there was a “culture of illegal payments” at the Sun.

‘Nothing more to offer’

BBC business editor Robert Peston said he had been told by a senior News Corporation executive that the company’s UK newspaper business “did not need more than one Murdoch in charge”.

“What he meant is that Rupert Murdoch, with the launch of the Sun on Sunday, is showing that he is back overseeing the group’s British newspapers,” said our business editor.

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Labour’s deputy leader, Harriet Harman: ”James Murdoch had to go”

“So James Murdoch can concentrate on what he is said to enjoy most, which is running News Corporation’s television interests outside the US.”

The journalist and broadcaster Andrew Neil, a former editor at News International’s the Sunday Times, agreed.

“His father was very unhappy that he had to close News of the World. He did so at James’s urging – James was the guy on the spot and he decided to follow his son’s advice,” Mr Neil told the BBC.

“My understanding is he very much regrets that now, hence the steeling up with the launch of the Sun on Sunday.

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Analysis

Hugh Pym Chief economics correspondent, BBC News

Pulled out of the firing line to concentrate on pay TV in other parts of the Murdoch area?

Or fall guy for the series of increasingly damaging revelations about News International’s past conduct?

The interpretations of James Murdoch’s departure from the chairmanship of News International will range between those poles.

Supporters of James Murdoch will argue that he has always been more interested in television than newspapers and that his move to New York is a natural progression.

But critics will say that the timing of his departure, with the Murdoch empire on the back foot in the UK, is no coincidence.

“I think Rupert, who can be just as robust with his family as he can be with editors and executives who don’t have the Murdoch gene in them, has decided James has nothing more to offer here in London.”

In a statement, Rupert Murdoch said: “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.”

He added that James would now “continue to assume a variety of essential corporate leadership mandates, with particular focus on pay-TV businesses and broader international operations”.

James Murdoch also remains chairman at satellite broadcaster BSkyB, of which News Corporation owns 39%.

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Model Has Natural 20-inch Waist

Model Ioana Spangenberg has a 20-inch waist. Photo by Barcroft Media/LandovRomanian model Ioana Spangenberg says she has natural 20-inch waist. When you see her thin middle in contrast to her 32-inch hips, it’s no wonder tabloids like The Sun are referring to Spangenberg as “the human hourglass.” The 30-year-old clocks in around 84 pounds, and says she was average size until her teen years. “When I was 13 my waist was around 15 inches. Someone could put their hands around it, their fingers would touch and they would still have extra room,” she told the Sun.

See photos of the woman with the world’s smallest waist ever

Spangenberg insists she’s tried everything and cannot gain weight around her midsection. “No one seems to believe it, but every day I eat three big meals and I snack on chocolate and crisps all the time. I just have a small stomach. It’s a bit like having a natural gastric band – if I eat too much, I feel sick,” she told the Sun. “In Romania it is better to be overweight, because that means you are from a wealthy family…so while my friends were going out and dating, I was sitting at home with Mars bars wishing I could fatten up,” she told the paper.

Read how celebrities maintain their svelte figures

Spangenberg gives new meaning to the term “hour-glass figure.”As women all too familiar with trickery like Photoshop and wearing three pairs of Spanx, It’s hard for us to believe Spangenberg isn’t wearing a corset under her clothing. The legendary Ethel Granger, whose 13-inch waist was documented as the smallest in history, only attained her size with the help of severely pinching corsets. But Spangenberg insists her size and shape are all-natural, and with the encouragement of her German husband Jan, she’s turned to the modeling industry to flaunt her skeletal figure.

“Jan was the first person who saw me as beautiful and encouraged me to celebrate my body. He asked me to pose in some photos for him,” she told the Sun. “He was so impressed he put them online and the response was amazing.” Spangenberg admits she has struggled with her self-esteem and told the publication she still wishes she could pack on a few pounds. “I would still like to gain weight so I don’t look so shocking – and now that I live in Germany I can’t get enough pizza or kebabs,” she said. “But I’m finally comfortable in my own skin.”

If she really, truly, I not wearing corsets, we’re glad Spangenberg has come to terms with her natural appearance and we’re glad she’s gotten a good response from viewers. We can only hope women won’t latch on to her unattainable size.

Check out the video of Spangenberg below for more shocking images of her exaggerated hourglass figure.

Hazel Jones Woman with Two Vaginas Gets $1 MILLION Porn Offer

A British woman who’s become a celebrity in the U.K. because she was born with two fully formed vaginas may finally be able to cash in on her crotch … TMZ has learned she’s just been offered $1 MILLION to bone on camera.

Her name is Hazel Jones — and the 27-year-old beauty has been making the media rounds across the pond to discuss “uterus didelphys” … a condition which caused her to develop 2 sets of female reproductive organs. In other words, two vaginal canals with two openings.

Hazel recently told British tabloid The Sun that she’s not shy about her condition — insisting she and her husband have shown it off at sex clubs around the U.K.

Enter Vivid Entertainment honcho Steve Hirsch … who heard Hazel’s story … and immediately reached out to the woman with a MASSIVE offer to film her double hoo-hah in action.

In the letter, Hirsch writes, “You are obviously an extraordinary woman and I would like to make you an offer to star in an upcoming Vivid production. We would pay you up to $1 million for your services.”

For the mathematically challenged, that’s $500k per vagina.

To sweeten the deal, Hirsch says Jones can pick any XXX partner she wants in her movie — adding, “We would fly you out to L.A. as soon as you are available and provide you with first class accommodations.”

We’re told Hirsch has not heard back yet.