James and Rupert Murdoch in London on July 10, 2011. (AP/Sang Tan)
When News Corp. executives gather for their annual meeting in Los Angeles on Friday, things could be pretty contentious between the shareholders and executive suite.
Some shareholders, following the recommendation of Institutional Shareholder Services, an advisory firm and corporate governance watchdog group, are expected to withhold their votes from News Corp. directors now seeking re-election--including chairman Rupert Murdoch and his sons James and Lachlan.
The phone-hacking scandal that engulfed the company earlier this year "laid bare a striking lack of stewardship and failure of independence by a board whose inability to set a strong tone at the top about unethical business practices has now resulted in enormous costs--financial, legal, regulatory, reputational and opportunity--for the shareholders the board ostensibly serves," ISS said in a note last week.
But dissident shareholders may not be able to force boardroom change. Rupert Murdoch, News Corp.'s chief executive, owns approximately 40 percent of the voting shares, according to the Wall Street Journal. Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns 7 percent, has publicly supported Murdoch during the scandal.
And despite questions about News Corp.'s executive leadership, the company's shares have jumped about 10 percent since the phone-hacking scandal broke in July--a positive performance that likely won't motivate "swing" shareholders to press for change.
Meanwhile, the New York Times asserted that "infighting" among the Murdoch clan, brought on by the phone hacking episode, is clouding News Corp.'s future:Read More ?
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