Rupert Murdoch is to step down as chief executive of television and film company 21st Century Fox, according to reports.
It is thought the 84-year-old is likely to name his son James, currently co-chief operating officer at 21st Century Fox, as his successor.
The Australian-born businessman, who has often courted controversy not least because of his News Corp business' involvement in the UK phone hacking scandal, took control of 21st Century Fox in 1985.
The company was split from News Corp - which owns the Sun and the Times newspapers and before its closure in 2011, the News of the World - two years ago.
Murdoch engineered the expansion of the firm, building it into a sprawling entertainment giant encompassing cable television networks like Fox, film makers such as Fox Searchlight and broadcaster Sky.
21st Century Fox did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for News Corp, where Murdoch is executive chairman, declined to comment.
