News Corp remains Murdoch stronghold

Three shareholder proposals to reduce the Murdoch family’s control of News Corp (EP, October 2012, page 3) were defeated by a majority of voting shares at the company’s AGM in Los Angeles last month. However, the proposal that won most support, which called for the establishment of an independent board chairman, was supported by two-thirds of the votes cast, excluding the Murdoch family’s stake, falling to just 30% once the Murdochs’ votes are included.