Sony reshuffles for online-electronics balance

TOKYO -- Sony Corp., now racing to expand its electronics and video-game empire to the Internet, has decided it needs two forceful executives to share the joystick. Sony's cerebral president, Nobuyuki Idei, said he will move up to chairman and retain the title of CEO. Hyperkinetic operations man Kunitake Ando will become president, just a month after being named the company's chief operating officer. Current Sony Chairman Norio Ohga will move to a diminished role as chairman of the company's governing board.

Ando's appointment highlights Idei's main challenge in running the world's premier consumer-electronics company: How can he balance Sony's core electronics business -- which provides two-thirds of its revenue -- with promising, but still-nebulous new operations, such as the company's foray into online games, music and other Internet services? Full story. -- Wall Street Interactive Edition