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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Rupert Murdoch in London as Times editor standoff continues | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Rupert Murdoch has flown into London as News Corporation's standoff with the independent directors of the Times continues over their refusal to approve his choice of editors for the paper and Sunday Times. | |
| Murdoch flew in to London over the weekend for what is understood to be an unscheduled visit and News International insiders believed he might hold "clear-the-air" talks with the Times Newspapers directors. | |
| However, it is understood he will not be attending any formal meeting with the directors this week. | |
| A standoff between News International parent company News Corporation and the directors resulted in John Witherow and Martin Ivens being announced only as "temporary acting editors" of the Times and Sunday Times respectively late on Friday. | |
| The News Corp chairman and chief executive was seen in the Wapping newsrooms of the Sun and the Times on Monday. | |
| Mike Darcey, the chief executive of News International, was due to talk to the de facto chairman of the directors, Rupert Pennant-Rea, in the coming days, but the next scheduled meeting is not until February. It is understood Murdoch would be expected to lead the meeting if it can be arranged. | Mike Darcey, the chief executive of News International, was due to talk to the de facto chairman of the directors, Rupert Pennant-Rea, in the coming days, but the next scheduled meeting is not until February. It is understood Murdoch would be expected to lead the meeting if it can be arranged. |
| It has emerged that the six independent directors were determined to exercise their powers to halt the appointments – both seen as "Murdoch's men" – following the December resignation of Times editor James Harding. | It has emerged that the six independent directors were determined to exercise their powers to halt the appointments – both seen as "Murdoch's men" – following the December resignation of Times editor James Harding. |
| The impasse between News Corp and the independent directors of Times Newspapers, the News International subsidiary that publishes the Times and Sunday Times, centres on the 1981 undertaking Murdoch gave to the government when he bought the papers. | The impasse between News Corp and the independent directors of Times Newspapers, the News International subsidiary that publishes the Times and Sunday Times, centres on the 1981 undertaking Murdoch gave to the government when he bought the papers. |
| "The editors, to be appointed by the board, may be appointed or removed only by the agreement of a majority of the independent national directors," the undertakings state. | "The editors, to be appointed by the board, may be appointed or removed only by the agreement of a majority of the independent national directors," the undertakings state. |
| The directors are understood to have been aggrieved by the resignation of Harding, who was very popular among journalists at the title. Harding told staff when he resigned that News Corp had "made clear" to him that it wanted to appoint a new editor. | The directors are understood to have been aggrieved by the resignation of Harding, who was very popular among journalists at the title. Harding told staff when he resigned that News Corp had "made clear" to him that it wanted to appoint a new editor. |
| They are reviewing whether a merger of the Times and Sunday Times might be financially prudent and legally sound under the terms of the 1981 undertakings. | They are reviewing whether a merger of the Times and Sunday Times might be financially prudent and legally sound under the terms of the 1981 undertakings. |
| Murdoch's visit to London coincided with the low-key launch of the Sun's new TV studio in Wapping. But it was Arnold Schwarzenegger, the film star and former California governor, rather than the media mogul who cut the ribbon at the grand opening. | |
| Murdoch's London visit comes as the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Tuesday that the Sun's defence editor, Virginia Wheeler, is to be charged over alleged illegal payments to police. She is charged with paying a former Metropolitan police constable, Paul Flattley, for information between May 2008 and September 2011. | Murdoch's London visit comes as the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Tuesday that the Sun's defence editor, Virginia Wheeler, is to be charged over alleged illegal payments to police. She is charged with paying a former Metropolitan police constable, Paul Flattley, for information between May 2008 and September 2011. |
| • This article was amended on Tuesday 22 January. The original version stated that Rupert Murdoch was expected to chair a meeting of the Times independent directors this week. | |
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