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The transformation is complete.  After several months of internal adjustment and review, News Corp announced today that Fox Interactive Media’s management reorganization is complete.

Charged with the task of playing the “lead role in shaping digital strategy across News Corporation” and “ensuring a consistent, long term vision of both product innovation and revenue generation across the entire company,”  the group will be renamed News Corp. Digital Media (“NDM”).

Filling the executive ranks for the group:   Dan Fawcett, President of Digital Media at Fox, will take on the added roles  of General Counsel and EVP Business Affairs at NDM.   Jack Kennedy, formerly EVP Strategy and Corporate Development at FIM, will handle day to day as EVP of Operations.   Jorge Espinel will handle “long term strategic direction” as EVP of Strategy and Corp. Development.  Hemanshu Nigam will serve as NDM’s SVP of Safety, Security and Privacy.

NDM will house MySpace, IGN, Fox Audience Network, Photobucket, Beliefnet and Fox Mobile Group.

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Full release follows: 
New York, NY, September 30, 2009 – News Corporation Chief Digital Officer Jon Miller today announced a series of executive appointments within the company’s Digital Media Group, the division responsible for driving digital strategy across the organization, and directing the company’s standalone digital media businesses.

News Corp. Digital Media’s (NDM) new executive team includes General Counsel and EVP of Business Affairs Dan Fawcett; EVP of Operations Jack Kennedy; EVP of Strategy and Corporate Development Jorge Espinel; and SVP of Safety, Security and Privacy Hemanshu (Hemu) Nigam. 

MySpace, IGN Entertainment, Fox Audience Network, Photobucket, Beliefnet, and Fox Mobile Group will now be directed by NDM.  NDM’s management team will support these businesses in the areas of long-term strategy, corporate development, business and legal affairs, while also serving as a central bridge to other entities within News Corporation.

“In finalizing the structure of News Corp. Digital Media with the appointment of an incredibly talented executive team, our goal is to empower the leadership at our digital properties to operate in a more streamlined environment, giving them the freedom and support to more directly and efficiently manage their businesses,” said Miller.  “News Corp. Digital Media will play a lead role in shaping digital strategy across News Corporation, ensuring a consistent, long-term vision of both product innovation and revenue generation across the entire company.” 

As General Counsel and EVP Business Affairs, Dan Fawcett will oversee business and legal affairs for NDM.  Fawcett will add these duties to his ongoing responsibilities as President of Digital Media for Fox, where he reports to Chase Carey and provides senior level strategic counsel for Fox Entertainment Group’s vast array of digital initiatives.  Fawcett has served in a number of executive roles at News Corporation over the past decade, and has been President of Digital Media since 2007, where, among other things, he played an instrumental role in the formation and launch of Hulu.  Prior to this, Fawcett was EVP of Content Acquisition, as well as General Counsel for DIRECTV, the nation’s leading satellite television service provider.  Prior to DIRECTV, Fawcett served as EVP of Business & Legal Affairs for Fox Cable Networks, where he oversaw legal and business affairs for the division’s more than 20 domestic sports and entertainment networks, including Fox Sports Net and FX.

As EVP of Operations, Jack Kennedy will oversee the group’s day-to-day operations.  Jack is also a veteran of News Corp., most recently serving as EVP of Strategy and Corporate Development at Fox Interactive Media, where he led the company’s M&A activity.  Previously, Jack was SVP of Corporate Development at Fox Networks Group.  His background includes multiple leadership and strategic roles with technology start-ups, including Craig McCaw and Bill Gates-backed satellite broadband start-up Teledesic; pioneering online video site Load Media Network, where he served as CEO; and several regional wireless services providers. Kennedy began his career in venture capital with Idanta Partners.  He is also a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves, most recently serving in Iraq in 2006.

As EVP of Strategy and Corporate Development, Jorge Espinel will oversee the group’s long-term strategic direction, including M&A.  Most recently, Jorge was a partner at Velocity Interactive Group (recently renamed Fuse Capital), a leading digital media investment firm. Prior to Velocity, Espinel spent five years as a senior executive at AOL (NYSE: TWX) in a variety of roles, ultimately serving as global head of corporate strategy and M&A. During his tenure, AOL acquired Tacoda, Third Screen Media, AdTech, Truveo, Userplane and Advertising.com. Prior to AOL, Espinel specialized in cable and broadcast television; publishing; and digital media at Booz Allen & Hamilton’s media and entertainment practice.  While there, he advised a broad range of leading media companies including Viacom (NYSE: VIA), EMI, NBC-Universal, and Hearst Magazines. 

Hemanshu (Hemu) Nigam will serve as NDM’s SVP of Safety, Security and Privacy, a role in which he will be tasked with setting the strategy for safety, security, and privacy programs across all of News Corporation’s online properties.  Nigam joined Fox Interactive Media in 2006 as Chief Security Officer, and since then has run all safety, security, privacy, education, NGO and law enforcement programs for MySpace, IGN and Photobucket.  Earlier this year, he was elevated to a News Corp.-wide role and will continue in that capacity as part of NDM.  Prior to joining Fox, Nigam led child safe computing and consumer security outreach strategies at Microsoft Corporation (NSDQ: MSFT), served as VP of Worldwide Internet Enforcement at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), was a trial attorney within the U.S. Department of Justice – a role in which he specialized in prosecuting cases related to child pornography, child predators, and computer crime cases nationwide – and advised the White House on cybercrime.

News Corporation
News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) had total assets as of June 30, 2009 of approximately US$53 billion and total annual revenues of approximately US$30 billion. News Corporation is a diversified global media company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct broadcast satellite television; magazines and inserts; newspapers and information services; book publishing; and other. The activities of News Corporation are conducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and Latin America.