News Corp. President Peter Chernin is Leaving

Peter Chernin, Rupert Murdoch's longtime top lieutenant, plans to leave News Corporation when his contract expires in June, a move that renews questions of succession at one of the world's biggest media companies. After deciding over the weekend to leave the company after 20 years, Mr. Chernin attended the Academy Awards Sunday night, where "Slumdog Millionaire," a film released by a unit of the News Corporation that he oversees, won best picture. Mr. Chernin's exit will now cast a brighter spotlight on James Murdoch, Mr. Murdoch's youngest son and the only one of his children with an executive role at the company. In late 2007, James Murdoch was elevated to the newly created postof chairman and chief executive for Europe and Asia.  from NYTimes