James Murdoch reinstated to BSkyb board of directors

James Murdoch has been re-instated as a director of BSkyB having received the support of 95% of the UK pay TV operator’s shareholders.

Murdoch was forced to step down as BSkyB chairman in April following the newspaper hacking scandal relating to News Corp’s newspaper business News International. He had been chairman since 2003.

Murdoch’s appointment at Sky’s AGM was opposed by 4.96% of shareholders, with one investor claiming he was “toxic”.

Earlier this year, following an assessment by Ofcom into whether Sky was fit and proper, the regulator said Murdoch’s conduct fell short of “the standard to be expected” but added that “we do not find that James Murdoch’s retention as a non-executive director of Sky means that Sky is not fit and proper to hold broadcast licences”.