Elisabeth Murdoch not joining News Corp board

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's daughter Elisabeth will not be joining News Corp's <NWSA.O> board as had been planned, after criticism that the board was populated by corporate and family insiders.

It is the latest fall-out after a phone-hacking scandal led News Corp to close its UK newspaper, News of the World.

"The independent directors agreed that the previously planned nomination should be delayed," they said in statement.

The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which is owned by News Corp.

Elisabeth Murdoch had suggested to independent directors at this year's annual general meeting weeks ago that she felt it would be inappropriate for her to join the board, according to the statement.

News Corp said in February that Murdoch, 42, would be joining the board in 2012 after the $673 million acquisition of her TV production company Shine Group.

(Reporting by Yinka Adegoke)