Some changes on BSkyB’s board point to a stronger reporting line to News Corp (NYSE: NWS). Chase Carey (pictured left), CEO and president of US satellite network DirecTV (NYSE: DTV), has resigned as a non-executive director after six years on the board. Given Liberty Media (NSDQ: LINTA) took majority ownership of DirecTV in a stock swap with News Corp 12 months ago, the change is not a surprise, but has taken a while to implement.
He is being replaced by Tom Mockridge (pictured right), the Sky Italia CEO who was last year upped to be CEO of all News Corp.’s non-UK European television operations. Though this is a non-executive role, it gives Mockridge some oversight over UK TV ops. Carey has led DirecTV since 2003 and was a director of News Corp itself between 1996 and 2002. Mockridge has been trying to build up News Corp.’s stake in Germany’s Premiere pay-TV outfit and looked at buying Spain’s Digital Plus.