News Corp Australia chief Kim Williams resigns
The chief executive of Rupert
Murdoch's News Corp Australia has
resigned after 20 months in the job.
Kim Williams, who took the role in
December 2011, is to be replaced by
Julian Clarke.
In an email to staff, Mr Williams said he
made the decision with a "heavy heart
and a mixed bag of feelings", but gave
no specific reason for his decision.
He steps down with an election campaign
underway in Australia.
Rupert Murdoch praised Mr Williams as
"a steady and courageous leader at a
time when our businesses have faced
unprecedented pressure and economic
challenges".
Mr Williams, who came from a pay-
television background, oversaw a
programme of cost-cutting and change
that some observers said had put him on
a collision course with newsroom editors.
Australian media reports also said the
move came weeks after Mr Murdoch flew
in a top lieutenant, Col Allan, to shake up
his publications.
Mr Clarke, the new chief executive, is a
veteran company man who headed up
Mr Murdoch's Herald and Weekly Times
group, which includes the Herald Sun
tabloid.
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp is the
dominant player in Australia's newspaper
market.
With the election campaign underway,
his Daily Telegraph tabloid has taken a
strong stance against Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd.
Mr Rudd, who replaced Julia Gillard as
Labor Party leader in June, faces an
uphill battle against the Tony Abbott-led
Liberal-National coalition in the 7
September polls.
He has accused Mr Murdoch of
interfering in the election to protect his
commercial interests, citing his
opposition to the National Broadband
Network policy - claims a News Corp
spokesman has rejected.
