MUMBAI: News Corporation has said that Roger Ailes has signed a new four-year contract to continue serving as Chairman & CEO of Fox News, and Chairman of Fox Television Stations till 2016.

Ailes, who first joined News Corporation in 1996, will continue to oversee Fox News, Fox Television Stations (FTS), Fox Business Network (FBN), Twentieth Television and MyNetwork TV.

He will also continue in his role as a senior advisor to Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch on television and news matters. In October 1996, Mr. Ailes launched Fox News Channel, which today is one of the top cable networks in the industry.

MUMBAI: Rupert Murdoch-controlled News Corporation has decided to split its business into two entities separating its film & television business from the publishing business.

While most shareholders see the UK newspaper assets as a liability, Murdoch wants them.

Investors had every reason to cheer as the film and television vertical contributes about 75 per cent of the company?s revenue overall while the publishing business was a drag on the conglomerates bottom line. News Corp?s film and television business includes Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, Star Television, Fox Broadcasting Company, BSkyB and 20th Century Fox.

Publishing, including The Wall Street Journal, the Times of London, New York Post and Australian newspaper, accounts for about 18 per cent of News Corp?s operating income.

?News Corporation confirmed today that it is considering a restructuring to separate its business into two distinct publicly traded companies,? the company said in a brief statement without specifying any details.

The announcement was hailed by investors with the company?s stock rising up 8.3 percent, to close at $21.76 Tuesday. During the day, the stock reached $21.89, its best performance in more than four and a half years.

Business fundamentals apart, the Rupert Murdoch owned media and entertainment conglomerate was also concerned about the wider implications of the phone hacking scandal at the UK publishing subsidiary.

The scandal had already led to the closure of News of the World besides, forcing News Corp to abort its takeover of profitable pay TV business BSkyB, where it holds 39 per cent ownership.

British communications regulator Ofcom is in final stages of its review of whether News Corp deputy COO is "fit and proper" to hold a broadcast license.

MUMBAI: In a move that complements a previously announced restructuring of Fox Networks Group?s (FNG) business and legal affairs team, FNG executive VP, general counsel Rita Tuzon has announced that long-time Fox business and legal affairs executive Karen Brodkin has been promoted to Fox Sports Media Group (FSMG) executive VP, business and legal affairs.

The restructuring, which was originally announced in June, is designed to bring the company?s business and legal affairs group and broadcast standards team under one umbrella. Brodkin will continue to work closely with Fox Sports Media Group co-presidents, COOs Randy Freer and Eric Shanks while reporting to Tuzon.

Brodkin will be responsible for legal and business affairs pertaining to FSMG. FSMG includes Fox Sports, Fox?s 19 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming, as well as Fox?s national sports channels and Fox Sports Interactive Media.

Brodkin will oversee a legal team charged with negotiating professional and collegiate media rights acquisitions, as well as production, programming and talent agreements, on behalf of FSMG. She also continues her oversight of the local media rights agreements between Fox Sports Networks (FSN) and its more than 40 MLB, NBA and NHL team partners.

Tuzon was enthusiastic about the move. "Karen is a key executive in our sports group and brings not only her legal expertise but important business relationships across the spectrum of our sports world."