From BBC News Online


Channel 4 boss lands BBC top job

Channel 4 boss Mark Thompson has been appointed as the director general of the BBC, replacing Greg Dyke, who left in the wake of the Hutton Report.

Mr Thompson has resigned from his position as chief executive Channel 4.

The director general was chosen the board of governors, headed by chairman Michael Grade.
Mr Thompson had originally ruled himself out of leaving Channel 4, saying he would "turn down any approach from the BBC".

The 46-year-old worked at the BBC for 20 years, eventually becoming director of television, before leaving to take up the chief executive role at Channel 4 in 2001.

Since Mr Dyke resigned from the corporation in January, Mark Byford has been leading the BBC as acting director general.

Possible contenders for the director general position included the BBC's head of television Jana Bennett, head of radio Jenny Abramsky, and Tony Hall, executive director of the Royal Opera House.

Mr Thompson will be responsible for leading the BBC through the review of its current Royal Charter, which expires in 2006.

He will also have to guide the corporation through one of its rockiest periods in history following the criticism it received from Lord Hutton in his report into the death of scientist Dr David Kelly.

The inquiry concluded that an allegation in a report by ex-BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan, which accused the government of deliberately exaggerating the case for war, was "unfounded".

Following the report Gavyn Davies stepped down as chairman, swiftly followed by Mr Dyke.

From BBC News Online

The Guardian has pulled together this reaction to the appointment:

Greg Dyke, former BBC director general
"One tip - watch your back."

Tessa Jowell, culture secretary
"Mark Thompson is one of our most distinguished public service broadcasters. His experience, skills and enthusiasm will give renewed confidence and direction to the BBC who now have an outstanding team with Michael Grade as chairman."

Lord Puttnam, former chairman of communications bill parliamentary committee
"The truth is that there are some jobs that you can't turn down. It's like a Premier League manager being offered the England job. I think it's a good choice."

David Elstein, former Channel Five chief executive
"It is a very good appointment, they have done well to get him. This demonstrates that you shouldn't be a BBC lifer if you want to be director general.

"He had just got his teeth into Channel 4 and it is a shame in a way that the director general's job came up. But you have to pick and choose. If he didn't take it this time he might have had to wait eight or nine years - think how long John Birt lasted in the job - and by that time he might thought to be past it.

"Although he repeatedly said he was not interested, when the offer is put in front of you what do you do? The fact Mark never signed the golden handcuffs deal the new chairman offered him was a sign that despite all the denials he was keeping his options open."

Julie Kirkbride MP, shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport
"I welcome the new management structure in the BBC, and particularly welcome Mark Thompson to his new post. We are looking forward to working with the BBC in future and hope that the corporation will maintain a politically independent future."

Don Foster, Liberal Democrats culture spokesman
"Clearly he's bringing in experience from his very successful stint at Channel 4. Before that he had lots of great experience at the BBC as director of television. He made some good programmes and has the strategic vision to lead the BBC into charter review."

Richard Ayre, former BBC head of editorial policy
"It is absolutely the right choice - he is a BBC man born and bred with vast programming experience. He is a man of great intelligence and also incidentally a pretty popular boss to work for. Most importantly he is a pretty inspirational character.

"There has been a strong tradition for the best part of 80 years for director generals to be journalists with strong editorial experience. He has good editorial judgment and consistently shown that across a range of programmes. He is a highly intelligent man but has shown at BBC2 and Channel 4 that he is able to preside over popular programmes as well. The BBC is a £3bn business and needs a seriously good manager and editor and they have got that in Thompson."

Stephen Lambert, director of programmes at independent producer RDF Media
"At Channel 4 he has gained commercial experience and a profound understanding of the independent production sector. At the BBC there is a 70% guarantee for in-house production. What we want to see is whether or not he is able to get the best possible ideas on air - regardless of whether they are in-house programmes or from the independent sector. As director general will he examine the merits of the case for commissioning more BBC programmes from the independent sector?

"For Channel 4 the important thing is what effect his departure will have on the new-found confidence of its commissioning team. The crucial thing for Channel 4 is that Mark Thompson's successor gets on well with [director of programmes] Kevin Lygo - allowing the channel to grow in confidence and continue to take risks. Dawn Airey's got a good combination of commercial experience at Five and Sky and has worked well with Kevin in the past."

Lord McNally, Liberal Democrat peer
"The BBC now has an excellent management team to take it into charter renewal. The BBC has an exceptionally important role as the major public service broadcaster. What Mark brings is that he has true public service broadcasting roots and sensibilities, as well as his recent commercial experience. I'm sorry for Mark Byford. I thought he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."