News Corporation has always been pretty much a family company. With the appointment of the 30-year-old James Murdoch as chief executive, it seems that BSkyB, the UK's 18th largest company, is a family outfit too – even though 66% of the broadcaster is in other hands.

When it is analysed, the Murdoch hand on News Corporation is also statistically tenuous. The centre of Murdoch wealth is the family vehicle Cruden Investments, which has seen its stake in News Corporation whittled down from close to 50% in the 1980s to 30% today. Nevertheless, this holding, as well as News Corporation's 35% stake in BSkyB, were enough to tilt the selection in favour of James, who reportedly beat a shortlist of seven other candidates to become the youngest chief executive in the FTSE 100.