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News International, the U.K. newspaper arm of Rupert Murdoch‘s News Corp. that was engulfed in the phone-hacking scandal, is rebranding under the name News UK, the company said Wednesday.
The news came ahead of the News Corp. split into two companies, which will be completed on Friday. News UK, led by CEO Mike Darcey, is the parent company of The Times of London, The Sunday Times and tabloid The Sun. It will be part of the new News Corp publishing company. The other company to be created by the split is entertainment conglomerate 21st Century Fox.
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The future publishing company also said Wednesday that it would rebrand its News Limited unit in Australia as News Corp Australia.
The units’ new names and logos “are designed to convey a more coherent and logical identity for the new parent company across the globe,” the companies said.
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“This is an exciting time, and I feel privileged to be leading News UK as it begins a bright new chapter,” Darcey said. “With new people and a new strategy, we will take our place within a new company determined to secure a sustainable future for professional journalism around the globe.”
Acknowledging the hacking scandal and its fallout, News UK highlighted the “fundamental changes of governance and personnel that have taken place to address the problems of the recent past.”
Darcey said that for the U.K. business the focus will be on “building on The Sun‘s success as the most popular paper and maintaining The Times and The Sunday Times as two of the most trusted news brands in the world.”
Added Darcey: “This is the platform from which we will continue to entertain and inform our readers, but also challenge the world around us, using our voice to bring about positive change and hold powerful and vested interests to account.”
Meanwhile, News Corp Australia operates businesses in print, digital media and TV, including Australia’s largest group of newspapers, a 50 percent stake in pay TV giant Foxtel, pay TV sports network Fox Sports and digital real estate business RealEstate.com.au.
In an e-mail to staff, News Corp Australia CEO Kim Williams said the new branding was designed “to emphasize the central part we play in the network of the best companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education and information services.”
He added: “We will work alongside our global News Corp colleagues to combine our extraordinary assets in boldly creative new ways, creating compelling products. We will reach new heights as we will continue to entertain, inform and educate many millions of consumers across the world.”
Georg Szalai reported from London; Pip Bulbeck reported from Sydney.
E-mail: Georg.Szalai@THR.com
Twitter: @georgszalai
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