Should News Corp.’s Minor Shareholders Have More Power?

Rupert Murdoch and his family control most of News Corp. through their majority of voting shares. But there are other, smaller shareholders that speak up when they see something amiss in the practices of the company. Recently one shareholder, The Nathan Cummings Foundation, vied for Murdoch to change the company’s disclosure policies for political contributions, and Murdoch complied. Is that indicative of how the company works, or a rare exception to the corporation’s usual practices? Laura Shaffer Campos, director of shareholder activities for The Nathan Cummings Foundation, says there are gaps in News Corp.’s best practices policies, and that in light of the hacking scandal these gaps need to be addressed.
John Burns, London bureau chief for The New York Times, reports live from London, where Rupert and James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks are about to appear before Parliament.