[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17599269

James Murdoch is to step down as chairman of UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB, but will remain on the board.

His father Rupert founded its parent company News Corporation, which had to drop its bid for BSkyB amid a phone-hacking scandal at a UK newspaper.

Sources told Robert Peston, the BBC's business editor, that it was James Murdoch's decision to leave.

They said it was an attempt to pre-empt further criticism as investigations continue into phone hacking.

In February, James Murdoch stepped down as chairman of News International, which published the News of the World.

He said then that he had moved to New York to work on News Corp's pay-TV businesses around the world.

News International shut down the News of the World last July amid a storm of allegations of widespread wrongdoing, including the hacking of the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Our correspondent says that Mr Murdoch has been braced for serious criticism of his stewardship of News International by the Commons Culture Media and Sport select committee.

However, he adds that his resignation has not been prompted by any advance knowledge of the report into hacking being written by the committee.

There is also a review being conducted by Ofcom, the media regulator, of whether British Sky Broadcasting is fit and proper to continue holding a broadcasting licence.

News Corp owns 39% of BSkyB and had wanted to buy the whole of the firm.

An empty gesture .....