WSJ editor exits after Murdoch takeover

The editor of Wall Street Journal, the influential US business newspaper brought for $5.6bn by Rupert Murdoch last year, has stepped down.

Marcus Brauchli (pictured), 45, who had been in the job for less than a year, is the clearest sign yet of unrest among staff over changes being introduced at the paper by the News Corp boss. It also clears the way for former Times editor Robert Thomson, who is understood to be replacing Brauchli temporarily, but is tipped to take over the position permanently once the dust has settled.

In a memo to staff, Brauchli praised the paper's journalists but added archly: "Now that the ownership transition has taken place, I have come to believe the new owners should have a managing editor of their choosing."

A long-time WSJ staffer, Brauchli will continue (for the time being) at the paper as a consultant. His departure follows that of other top WSJ staff including Gordon Crovitz, the Journal's former publisher and an executive vice-president of Dow Jones, who left in December just before the deal with News Corp was signed off.