Rebekah Brooks Resigns as News International CEO

Rebekah Brooks Escapes News International

News International CEO Rebekah Brooks has resigned; this was not her first attempt to do so. Tom Mockridge, former CEO of SkyItalia (a Murdoch property), will be taking Brooks' place.

Why was Rebekah Brooks' resignation accepted now (July 15), when the media and public have been baying for her blood for weeks? It may have to do with the concept of toxic assets: as NOTW was toxic to News Corp, so has Brooks become to News International.

• Rebekah Brooks and the NOTW Scandal
• Murdoch Summoned to Parliament over Phone Hacking Scandal
  

It doesn't help that, on the night of July 14, a major News Corp. shareholder directly implicated Brooks in the phone hacking scandal, echoing popular opinion and common sense. Maybe there was a schism between Brooks and James and Rupert Murdoch, who are all meant to answer questions in Parliament next week.

This is not such good news for James Murdoch, who just lost his human shield. The Murdochs have powerful friends, particularly in 10 Downing Street, but now those friends have their own careers to worry about.

Rebekah Brooks has worked for News Corp. for 22 years, starting out as a secretary. In her farewell statement, Brooks acknowledged the trouble that News International is in, but continued to deny any involvement.

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Rebekah Brooks (Rebekah Wade in 2006)

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