Murdoch exiting Shine after merger

Elisabeth Murdoch

Liz Murdoch with leave Shine Group, which she founded in 2001, when the production group merges with Endemol and CORE Media Group, it is understood.

Murdoch has been chairman of MasterChef producer Shine for the past two years after handing the CEO role over to her number two, Alex Mahon.

Sources indicate Murdoch is largely supportive of the plan to merge Shine with rivals Endemol and CORE. However, she will not sit on its board should the deal go ahead, and will focus on a number of recent investments instead.

The news comes two days after former BSkyB content chief Sophie Turner Laing was revealed as CEO of the upcomingmerged group, with Endemol CEO Just Spee and Shine chief exec Mahon set to leave after regulatory clearances are given.

Chase Carey, president and COO of Shine owner 21st Century Fox, recently said the deal would go through soon, meaning all three companies would be owned by a 50-50 joint venture of Fox and Apollo Global Management.

Murdoch sold Shine to her father’s Fox for £415 million (US$672.5 million) in 2011, a controversial deal that someattributed to as one cause of the spiraling costs of production company acquisitions that has followed.

Shine’s production assets include Kudos, Princess Productions, Shine TV, Dragonfly and Lovely Day. It has 27 productions groups across 11 territories in total.