Ex-Tabloid Editor Named to Oversee Fox TV News

Rounding out the new key management team at Fox, Chairman Rupert Murdoch has recruited longtime News Corp. executive Les Hinton as chairman and chief executive of the Fox TV stations division and given him authority over the fledgling news operation.

Van Gordon Sauter, the former president of CBS News who became president of Fox News six months ago, will now report to Hinton. So will Mitchell Stern, who has been running the stations on a daily basis since former TV stations chief Greg Nathanson resigned and became president of KTLA-TV last year.

Hinton, chairman of News America Publishing, is a longtime Murdoch associate who was once editor of the Star tabloid newspaper. Most recently, he has overseen Murdoch’s publishing interests in the United States, which include the Boston Herald newspaper, Mirabella magazine and TV Guide.

Sauter, who is married to state Treasurer Kathleen Brown, will continue to manage Fox’s efforts to roll out a national news service, as well as oversee development and production of a new, weekly prime-time newsmagazine show for the fourth network.

In recent weeks, there had been rumors of friction between Murdoch and Sauter over the direction and pace of the news expansion plans. But both executives adamantly denied any problems.

“I’m thrilled about this,” Sauter said. “I want to contribute here because I think there is so much potential. I do not consider myself a lifer in the broadcast business, but I intend to be here for several years and make a significant contribution.”

Murdoch said the appointment of Hinton completes the new management team at the studio that began when the media baron took over from former Fox chief Barry Diller last year. Earlier this week, Murdoch named Lucie Salhany to succeed Jamie Kellner as president of the Fox network.

Kellner resigned after seven years to start his own company, possibly in association with Murdoch.