James Murdoch stands to win in proposed Time Warner deal
Company takeover could make the career of scandal-tarred son of magnate Rupert Murdoch
Two years ago James Murdoch's career seemed all but over, derailed by his pivotal role in the British phone hacking scandal that shook the foundations of his father Rupert's media empire.
This week his comeback looked all but complete when he got a prominent name check as Rupert announced what could be the biggest deal of his career.
When The New York Times revealed that 21st Century Fox had made a play for Time Warner on Wednesday, Murdoch Kremlinologists were fascinated to see that James was named as instrumental to the proposed deal.
I do think this deal means he is completely back, but he will be ever marked
It was a telling moment in the mission to rebuild the 41-year-old's corporate reputation, left in tatters in the wake of the UK phone-hacking scandal. In 2012 James had been ignominiously forced to resign as head of News UK - publisher of the Times titles, The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World - and as chair of BSkyB, he said he had become a "lightning rod" for criticism.
"Without question there has been a planned rehabilitation from his time swimming with the fishes," one former colleague said. "I do think this deal means he is completely back, but he will be ever marked a little bit by what happened on his watch."
Rupert Murdoch has been laying the groundwork for the transition of power, but the question the Time Warner deal throws up is which of his sons will be his successor. A deal to buy Time Warner's TV and film assets plays to James's strengths: at 28 he ran Fox-owned Asian broadcaster Star, by 31 he was chief executive of BSkyB.
This year he was promoted to co-chief operating officer, serving alongside Fox president and chief operating officer Chase Carey, with direct responsibility for Fox's pay-TV strategy globally.