Shareholders of Dow Jones & Co. gave final approval Thursday to a $5 billion bid from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. to acquire the financial publishing company, the final step needed before one of the world's most influential newspapers, The Wall Street Journal, changes hands.

The controlling shareholders of Dow Jones, the far-flung Bancroft family, had initially rebuffed Murdoch's approach this spring, but eventually enough of them agreed to accept his offer of $60 a share to ensure the bid would succeed.

Dow Jones held the shareholder vote in a hotel in the financial district of lower Manhattan, near its headquarters. The formal closing of the deal is expected to occur either later Thursday.

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