James Murdoch quits British newspapers

LONDON, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- James Murdoch resigned Wednesday as head of his father's British news operations, which have been hit hard by the phone-hacking scandal.

The younger Murdoch remains in charge of "global television," The Guardian reported. That includes Rupert Murdoch's 39 percent share in BSkyB, the British broadcaster, and other operations in Asia.

James Murdoch is to be based in New York, The Guardian said, with the Fox network added to his responsibilities.

The Murdoch newspapers are not known to have engaged in phone hacking since James Murdoch became head of News International. But executives continued to deny earlier hacking.

The hacking scandal exploded last year when The Guardian reported that in 2002 the News of the World had hacked into the cellphone of a missing schoolgirl, who was later found dead. Rupert Murdoch closed the venerable Sunday tabloid he had acquired in 1969.

The elder Murdoch has now launched The Sun on Sunday as a replacement.