George Entwistle Named Director-General of the BBC

LONDON: Mark Thompson will hand over his responsibilities as the director-general of the BBC to George Entwistle this fall.

Thompson announced in March that he was leaving the BBC. Entwistle, who is currently the director of BBC Vision, will take over the role, at a reported starting salary of £450,000 per year.

Lord Patten, chairman of the BBC Trust, said: "George is a creative leader for a creative organization. His experience of making and delivering great programs that audiences love—built up through many years of working for the corporation—will prove invaluable as he and his team work to ensure the BBC remains the greatest broadcaster in the world.

"Above all George is passionate about the BBC, is committed to its public service ethos and has a clear vision for how it can harness the creativity and commitment of its staff to continue to serve audiences in ever more innovative ways."

Entwistle commented: "I’m delighted that the chairman and trustees have decided I’m the right person for the job. And I’m very excited about all that lies ahead. I love the BBC and it’s a privilege to be asked to lead it into the next stage of its creative life."

Thompson said:"I think this is a brilliant appointment. George has shown himself to be an outstanding leader with an intuitive understanding of public sector broadcasting. He has a formidable track record as a program-maker and in recent years has also shown his caliber as a leader. I wish him and the BBC every success in the years to come."

Lord Patten continued: "I once again want to pay tribute to Mark Thompson. His creativity, vision and leadership have made him an outstanding director-general of the BBC and he will be sorely missed."