This from The Guardian:

Jason Deans, broadcasting editor
Monday May 17, 2004

New BBC chairman Michael Grade will not be readvertising the job of director general, signalling that he intends to make a speedy appointment of a replacement for Greg Dyke.

Mr Grade wasted no time on his first day as BBC chairman in restarting the search for a new director general, reading the appropriate file and deciding an appointment could be made without readvertising the job, a corporation spokeswoman said.

It is not clear where the decision leaves potential candidates such as the BBC's director of television, Jana Bennett, and Mark Thompson, the Channel 4 chief executive.

Neither Ms Bennett or Mr Thompson applied for the post when it was advertised prior to the new chairman's appointment earlier this year.

However, Mr Thompson has said all along that he would not apply for the job, and the fact that it will not be readvertised may not rule out potential candidates from joining the shortlist after informal discussions with Mr Grade.

Mr Grade announced that the recruitment process was being frozen on April 2, the day of his appointment - and just four days before the first round interviews for the new director general were due to begin.

At the time, the shortlist is understood to have included acting director general Mark Byford and the director of BBC radio, Jenny Abramsky.

"The process [of appointing a new director general] has resumed. Michael has read the file and is satisfied an appointment can be made without readvertising the post," a BBC spokeswoman said.

"He's been in touch with the nominations committee and the process is moving forward. We hope an appointment can be made as soon as is practically possible," she added.

The spokeswoman said Mr Grade would not be formally meeting the BBC board of governors until their next scheduled monthly meeting on May 27.

Mr Grade has already signalled that he will be seeking to redefine the role of the governors, and is expected to increase their independence from BBC management and place new emphasis on their regulatory responsibilities.

However, the spokeswoman said no announcements about changes to the governors' role would be made until Mr Grade had discussed his plans with the board and sought their views.

"One of the things Michael feels very strongly about is that on all big policy issues like this, any decisions will be arrived at collectively with the board of governors," she added.

The 12-strong BBC board of governors is also currently seeking two new recruits, to replace Baroness Sarah Hogg and Lord Ryder, the vice chairman.

Lord Ryder, who has been acting chairman since the resignation of Gavyn Davies in January, is stepping down from the BBC board this summer and his job as vice chairman was advertised in newspapers today.

Baroness Hogg left the BBC board in February, but the process to recruit her replacement has been frozen since then, while the corporation awaited the arrival of Mr Grade.

Appointments to the BBC board are made formally by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

But as BBC chairman, Mr Grade's view that the board should contain more people with media industry experience is expected to be taken into account when the appointments are made.