Administrator
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This is taken from The Guardian:
Lyons vows impartiality by Tara Conlan Thursday April 5, 2007
New BBC chairman Sir Michael Lyons has insisted he is not close to chancellor Gordon Brown and promised "independence and impartiality".
Confirmed today as the 21st chairman of the BBC, the ex-street trader and kennel boy set out his stall at a press conference at BBC Broadcasting House, saying, "I don't think anybody needs to be afeared of my appointment."
Admitting that he is more of a radio man than a keen television viewer, Sir Michael batted away suggestions that his appointment was the result of political connections.
He said the vacancy created by his predecessor Michael Grade leaving for ITV had just come at a "fortuitous" time for him, as he had just finished a review of local government funding for Mr Brown.
"It's certainly true he's asked me to do three jobs for him and I've done them to the best of my ability. That's where it begins and ends," said 57-year-old Sir Michael.
"I'm coming on now to a different role and I will deliver absolute independence and impartiality."
But he insisted his work in local government stands him in good stead for dealing with the issues engulfing the publicly-funded BBC.
"Working in public services, all these issues in my past are relevant to my job," he said.
Despite being renowned for carrying out reviews, Sir Michael said he would not be kicking off with one at the BBC, though he is keen to hear what licence fee payers want to see and hear.
On his own viewing tastes, he said the nature of his life means, "I sample more radio than TV".
He said he is "fervent supporter of Radio 4. I wake up with Today. I listen to Analysis and The Moral Maze. One of the things I cherish about Radio 4 is its ability to bring new comedy forward" - though he failed to mention any shows.
On his favourite television programmes he was a little more hesitant, saying he enjoyed dramas.
"In the last week I've enjoyed Persuasion though that's on a different channel [ITV1]", he added hurriedly.
But he picked up kudos by singling out BBC1's Life On Mars for having some of the "best one-liners I could hope for". Channel 4's mafia drama The Sopranos is another favourite and "shows what we can learn from American TV".
Undoubtedly an economist, Sir Michael admitted he had no programme-making experience but said he there were already many people at the BBC who did.
On the thorny issue of highly-paid presenters, such as Jonathan Ross, the new BBC chairman declared, "high salaries always bring about public anxiety".
He said the BBC was operating in a commercial market to "draw talent that the British public want to watch and pay for that" and that BBC management were grappling with the issue.
Though he delivered a shot across their bows by warning: "If the trust feels there's something it wants to say, then we'll say it."
It was always going to be a tough act for Sir Michael to follow the ebullient Michael Grade.
His safe answers were in contrast to Mr Grade's showmanship at his first press conference.
Sir Michael also showed his ability to remain "on message" - perhaps more than his predecessor.
When asked what he thought of the BBC's lower-than-expected licence fee - widely seen as being imposed by the chancellor - Sir Michael batted away the question.
"I don't have to have a view on this because that's history, that's been decided," he said.
He also successfully swerved the new media and competition issues facing the BBC, namely the proposal to put adverts on BBC.com and the suspension of online education service BBC Jam, by saying there is not enough evidence to make a decision on their futures yet.
On how the relationship with the BBC Trust and the corporation's management will be under his stewardship, Sir Michael said it would be like that of a good parent, "supportive of their offspring but also questioning what they do".
He admitted the BBC has been seen sometimes as "too focused on London" and welcomed the planned move of some departments to Manchester.
Despite his charm offensive at the press conference, Sir Michael seemed a little rankled by the fact journalists keep bringing up the fact he was once a market trader off London's Edgware Road, rather than his career as a professional economist.
But, renowned for his geniality, he joked his way out of it, saying: "I'm not seeking a part in EastEnders."
He also revealed he used to be a "kennel boy", going on to admit he should not have said that as it might lead to "Ex-greyhound fancier heads BBC" stories.
However, he said his early jobs showed he was "an entrepreneur" who "needed to fund my way through a masters in economics".
Although he made a nervous start to the press conference - his first joke about his appointment being one of the worst kept secrets in the media world was greeted by a tumbleweed silence - he warmed up and was less of the "grey bean counter" that some rivals had suggested.
Smiling and sporting a bright yellow tie, he seemed keen to make a better first impression than the last economist to run the BBC, Gavyn Davies - though staff admiration for Davies grew throughout his tenure.
Sir Michael made just one glaring error - referring to the absent director general Mark Thompson as "Mark Thomas".
However, it did not seem to faze Sir Michael and he rounded off his first outing as BBC chairman by saying proudly: "I believe I'm going to be an excellent chairman of the trust."
The 25,000 staff at the BBC facing an uncertain future no doubt hope he will.
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