BBC’S new boss to ‘accelerate change’ in battle to stay relevant
Insider seen as safe choice for director-general amid challenges of licence fee and shifting audience
THE BBC has promoted its commercial chief to the role of director-general, as the corporation faces up to a future with a reduced licence fee and growing competition from US rivals like Netflix.
In his first statement after being announced as the successor to Lord Hall of Birkenhead, Tim Davie said the BBC must “reform” and “accelerate change”.
Davie, a former marketing executive at Pepsico, joined the BBC 15 years ago as head of marketing, switched to running radio and then rose to become the chief executive of BBC Studios.
He is the BBC’S highest-paid executive, earning £600,000 per year, and will take a wage cut down to Lord Hall’s level of £450,000 when he assumes the role in September. However, under the terms of his deal, his salary will rise to £525,000 in August next year.
The BBC said the director-general’s salary had been frozen since 2012 and the £525,000 figure was the level that it would have reached if inflation had been applied.
Davie, 53, is considered a safe choice and one who has previously proved himself in a crisis: in 2012 he stepped in as acting directorgeneral when George Entwistle was forced to quit over the BBC’S handling of the Jimmy Savile scandal.
Davie’s commercial experience is considered an asset as pressure grows on the BBC to look for alternative funding models. While wedded to the idea of a licence fee, the corporation has accepted that it is unlikely to continue in its present form during the next charter period.
As the head of BBC Studios, Davie was responsible for raising funds for the BBC by selling its formats around the world. He has direct experience of competition from Netflix and other US streaming giants, but also of partnering with them on making programmes.
But he must also find ways to stem the desertion of younger viewers, deal with the looming issue of licence fees for the over-75s, and win the trust of female staff on gender pay equality.
Relations between the BBC and No10 had eased during the Covid-19 crisis, as the corporation was widely praised for offering new programmes, but they have been damaged by the row surrounding Emily Maitlis and her Newsnight monologue about Dominic Cummings.
Although Davie has not made his current political affiliations clear, in the Nineties he was a member of the Conservative Party and stood unsuccessfully in a 1993 council by-election.
Davie said yesterday: “I am honoured to be appointed the BBC’S next director-general. This has been a critical time for the UK and these past few months have shown just how much the BBC matters to people. Our mission has never been more relevant, important or necessary. I have a deep commitment to content of the highest quality and impartiality.
“Looking forward, we will need to accelerate change so that we serve all our audiences in this fast-moving world. Much great work has been done, but we will continue to reform, make clear choices and stay relevant.”
His appointment was praised by former colleagues. Sir Michael Lyons,
‘Much great work has been done, but we will continue to reform, make clear choices and stay relevant’
‘The sense in the last few weeks has been that you default a little to the person you know can do the job’
chairman of the BBC Trust from 2008-11, said: “I think he is a great choice. He took the reins temporarily when George Entwistle fell from grace and did a good job of steadying the ship.
“The BBC is a great institution but can be a bit smug. So to have someone who has held several posts elsewhere means they can see the strengths … but they don’t overlook the weaknesses.” Roger Mosey, the BBC’S former editorial director, said: “Tim has a real sense of judgment and was a very good acting director-general.
“It is a shame that it wasn’t at the very least a more diverse shortlist. But the sense in the last few weeks has been that … you default a little bit to the person who you know can do the job.”
Lord Hall said: “I know that the BBC is in safe hands.”