Murdoch resigns from BSkyB chair

James Murdoch yesterday resigned as chairman of BSkyB to prevent his links to a phone-hacking scandal undermining the group, whose broadcast licence is under scrutiny in Britain.

“I am aware that my role as chairman could become a lightning rod for BSkyB and I believe that my resignation will help to ensure that there is no false conflation with events at a separate organisation,” Murdoch said.

The 39-year-old is a previous chairman of News International, News Corp’s British newspaper arm and publisher of the News of the World, the tabloid at the heart of the scandal that has convulsed his father Rupert’s media empire before it was shut down last year.