News Corp is expected to announce as early as today that Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's oldest son, is being named second-in-command to Peter Chernin, president and COO of the company, the London Times reported today (Thursday). (The Times is a News Corp-owned publication.) The 29-year-old scion is currently in charge of all of News Corp's Australian operations as well as its U.S.-based print units, including publisher HarperCollins and the New York Post. The Times observed that "the new role for Lachlan Murdoch will underline his position as the heir apparent at News Corp."

Source: Studio Briefing