Greg Dyke criticises political intervention in BBC Trust appointment

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jul/30/greg-dyke-politicians-bbc-trust-job

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It is not surprising that ministers are struggling to appoint a new BBC Trust chairman, two former leaders at the broadcaster said, because of political intervention and a lack of clarity about the nature of the £110,000-a-year job.

Following this week's withdrawal of Lord Coe, who had been backed by David Cameron and George Osborne, the former director general Greg Dyke said neither politician should have become so involved.

"The process should be nothing to do with the prime minister or the chancellor of the exchequer," said Dyke. "The [correct] process is that people apply. A DCMS [Department for Culture, Media and Sport] independent committee vets them and puts forward names to the secretary of state. What is important about the job is that it is a non-political job. You have to defend the independence of the BBC. That is essential."

Meanwhile, former BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons, used more nuanced language to voice concern, amid growing speculation that ministers are struggling to find a high-profile candidate.

Lyons, the first Trust chairman, said: "The process looks untidy and a combination of heightened press speculation and reported views of ministers have made this an unhelpfully public process".

The former chairman added that he believed that the process was faring worse than when his successor, Lord Patten, was recruited three years ago. He said: " I can't remember this level of anxiety when Chris or I were recruited."

The recruitment process is officially handled by the culture department, under new secretary of state Savid Javid, which in May began canvassing industry opinion on a group of the most qualified potential candidates. But Cameron and, conspicuously, Osborne, have been involved behind the scenes. The duo allowed it to become known that their preferred candidate was former Tory MP, Lord Coe.

Coe withdrew this week, citing concerns about the time commitments the job would require. Embarrassingly, officials had even altered the job description to reduce the specified three to four days a week to accommodate him.

Dyke said a key difficulty was that most observers believed that the BBC Trust would cease to exist, or at least be radically overhauled, as part of charter renewal in 2016. "My view is it is a difficult job to fill," he said. "No one has said what the job is in two years, after the BBC charter renewal, it won't be a job running the BBC Trust".

One senior industry figure with knowledge of previous BBC Trust chairman searches said that the appointment was considered to be that of a "grave digger", and characterised the hunt as turning into an embarrassing "omnishambles".

"Fiddling with the job spec to suit one person, the sheer number of leaks that have gone on in this process, these things make good candidates pull out," said the source. "Good people are not going to have their reputation mucked around with by politicos leaking stuff. Serious candidates pull out".

A string of industry big-hitters fancied for the job have ruled themselves out of the process, including Dame Marjorie Scardino, the former chief executive of the Financial Times owner Pearson; former Sony chief and BBC non-executive director Sir Howard Stringer; and Sarah Hogg, a crossbencher in the Lords who was once John Major's Downing Street policy chief.

"When candidates at a late stage of the process are seen to withdraw it is usually because taken studied view of prospects," said Lyons. "This whole set of events shows that a model where the selection process takes place with confidentiality is critical."

Final interviews are due to take place on Thursday and Friday, with the former Prudential UK chief executive Nick Prettejohn the only known member of a four- or five-strong shortlist of candidates.

After a round of interviews, all the "appointable" candidates will meet Javid, who will then choose a preferred candidate who will appear before the Commons culture, media and sport select committee.

Javid does have the power to reopen the search. However, similar concerns proved unfounded when Patten emerged as a late candidate last time round.

The former culture secretary Ben Bradshaw also said he was unimpressed by the process. "I'm not sure there has been meddling, but there has been incompetence," he said. "It is a hugely important appointment at a critical time for the BBC and it has not been handled well.

"It is absolutely essential that this close to an election that the opposition is consulted. I think given concerns around the appalling handling of this we need an assurance from government that normal procedure on public appoints is followed".