Crunch time for Murdoch Junior

13 April 2012

JAMES Murdoch is the odds-on favourite to take over satellite broadcaster BSkyB when the board meets today. But his father, 72-year-old chairman Rupert, may be barred from voting under company rules.

Sources say the chairman and four other directors appointed by News Corporation - the Murdoch-led group which owns 35% of BSkyB shares - may sit out the formal election process.

BSkyB's rules say directors cannot vote on an issue where they are deemed to have an interest if just one other board member objects.

This would leave the election in the hands of the other nine directors, led by former Tory grandee Lord St John of Fawsley.

The potential election of 30-year-old James Murdoch to one of the most powerful roles in European broadcasting has been deeply controversial.

Many in the City have argued that his father should have volunteered earlier to stay out of the election process.

Three other candidates are in the running - finance director Martin Stewart, operations director Richard Freudenstein and marketing director John Florsheim.

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