Sky's the limit for Murdoch's girl

MATHEW HORSMAN

Media Editor

Rupert Murdoch's daughter Elisabeth, a television executive, is to join the Murdoch- controlled broadcaster BSkyB as general manager, broadcasting. It marks another stage in Mr Murdoch's campaign to place his children in key jobs within his empire and to groom them for succession.

Last year her brother Lachlan, 24, became deputy chief executive of News Corporation's Australian subsidiary. The latest appointment is likely to ignite competition between the siblings over who will inherit management control of Mr Murdoch's clutch of media assets, which range from Hollywood film-studios and national newspapers such as the Times and the Sun to book publishing and Internet services.

Mr Murdoch is said to want to avert the sort of succession troubles that have affected other family companies.

Ms Murdoch 27, recently managed two television stations in California bought with her husband, Elkin Pianim, with the support of Mr Murdoch's Fox Television Network. The stations were sold at a profit last month after a year under their ownership.

Mr Murdoch's youngest son, James, 23, has yet to join News Corporation, preferring to develop his own record company in New York.

Murdoch's succession, page 16