DirecTV Group Inc. Chief Executive Chase Carey will return to News Corp., as Rupert Murdoch? right-hand man, both companies said Wednesday.

Carey, who became DirecTV? CEO in 2003, will be vice chairman and chief operating officer at News Corp. and supervise the New York media conglomerate? global operations.

News Corp. controlled DirecTV until last year when it swapped its DirecTV stake for a minority stake held by cable TV pioneer John Malone? Liberty Media Corp

Carey replaces Peter Chernin, who announced in February that he would leave News Corp. Carey? resignation from DirecTV is effective July 1. DirecTV said its board has formed a committee to look for Carey? successor. In the interim, Larry Hunter, executive vice president of legal, human resources, and administration, will act as interim CEO.

The announcement, which was made by both companies in separate releases after the markets closed, had been rumored for several days. Carey spent 15 years as a News Corp. executive starting in late 1980s, helping launch Fox Sports, Fox News Channel and several other cable channels, and expanding the number of Fox Television stations. After leaving the company, he served on the board until 2007.

Under Carey? leadership, DirecTV? subscriber count grew from 12 million to more than 18 million customers in the United States, and DirecTV grew more profitable, the company said.

Malone? Liberty Media Corp., which owns a 54 percent of DirecTV, is in the process of merging several of its entertainment properties to create a new company that will retain the DirecTV name and remain based in El Segundo.

Prior to the announcement, DirecTV shares closed down 40 cents, or less than 2 percent to $22.69 on the Nasdaq.