Reports: News Corp. to hire former AOL chief
Jonathan Miller, who was once AOL's chief executive, is reportedly about to take a job heading up digital strategies for Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate.
News Corp. is about to hire former AOL Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Miller to head up the media conglomerate's digital initiatives, replacing Peter Levinsohn, according several news reports, including two on News Corp.-owned publications.
Miller's new job would oversee all online operations including the popular MySpace social-networking site as well as the company's investment in the also popular Hulu video site, according to a report late Friday on The Wall Street Journal.
In her Boomtown blog on the All Thing Digital Web site, Kara Swisher further explained Friday night that Miller is still bound by a non-compete agreement with Time Warner, which runs out in just a few days. She cited unnamed sources familiar with the situation saying a formal announcement could come Monday or Tuesday, at the latest.
Levinsohn will move to another job within News Corp. at the film and television studios, according to both news accounts.
The news was first reported on the Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily blog, as pointed out by Swisher. It was also substantiated by Ross Levinsohn, Miller's business partner, on his own blog, which was also noted by Swisher.
Miller made headlines last year when Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes objected to his appointment to Yahoo's board of directors.