News Corp. Chief Content Exec to Step Down

NEW YORK: Anthea Disney, the executive VP of content at News Corporation, is leaving the company after 20 years, retiring at the end of the month. 

Upon her retirement, Disney plans to counsel young female entrepreneurs through a non-profit she recently co-founded in Northwest Connecticut, the Women’s Enterprise Initiative. A member of News Corp.’s worldwide executive management committee, Disney served as chairman of Gemstar-TV Guide International until its sale in 2008. She joined the company in 1989 after a long career as a journalist. She oversaw News Corp.’s magazine division and was the original head of content for the company’s first digital venture. Disney served as president and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers and as chairman and CEO of News America Publishing Group before taking on the role at Gemstar-TV Guide.

“Anthea’s keen creative instincts are equal to her business acumen, a combination which is hard to find in an executive and one that has made her a dynamic leader at our company for many years,” said Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and CEO of News Corporation. “She has impeccable judgment and taste and I have relied on her counsel across just about all of our content businesses. I will miss her immensely but understand her desire to shift gears at this point in her life.”

"I have had an amazing two decades at News Corporation and loved every minute of it," Disney commented. "There is no more exciting or vibrant company in the media industry and there is simply no one like Rupert Murdoch. While I will miss Rupert and my colleagues, I’m looking forward to taking what I’ve learned over the course of my career and using it to help young women launch new businesses."