Media baron Rupert Murdoch has resigned as director of his UK-based newspapers. He separated his newspapers from the lucerative film and television divisions of News International last month. Murdoch's latest move is likely to lead to industry speculation that he is preparing the ground to sell off his UK-based newspapers that have come under cloud due to the phone-hacking controversy. A News International spokesman said Murdoch has stepped down from a number of boards, many of them small subsidiary boards, both in the Britain and the United States.