BSkyB CEO Mark Booth has agreed to become CEO of e-
partners, a new Internet and media investment vehicle for
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., according to Harverson, Price &
Johnson of the FINANCIAL TIMES. The company will invest
$300M "buying minority stakes" in Internet, interactive TV
and wireless communication companies. Booth took the new
position after turning down a $25M offer to run Microsoft's
global Internet operation. e-partners will have offices in
London and S.F. and "represents a change of tack by Mr.
Murdoch, who recently said he was happy with the extent of
News Corp.'s involvement" in Internet and other new media
businesses (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/28). News Corp. said e-
partners will act "independently" from News America Digital
Publishing, News Corp.'s "primary interactive operating
division," which oversees FoxSports.com. BSkyB Chair Jerome
Seydoux said that Booth's successor will "probably come from
outside the company" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/28). But DAILY
VARIETY's Dawtrey & Katz report that "insiders" say that
Booth's replacement is Fox/Liberty Networks CEO Tony Ball.
Dawtrey & Katz add that several observers "doubted" that e-
partners "signaled that Murdoch has had a change of heart in
favor of the Internet" (DAILY VARIETY, 4/28).
