After Kevin Bakhurst, Ofcom boss, became a leading contender to the position of director of news at BBC, the BBC is now in danger of a new controversy about impartiality.
BBC insiders describe Mr Bakhurst, 55 as a former news executive at RTE in Ireland. However, he is currently on Ofcom’s board of directors, which is often accused of being too close with the Corporation.
Since joining Ofcom, Mr Bakhurst has been the group director for content and media policy. This includes regulation of the BBC. Before joining RTE, he was the controller of BBC News.
BBC insiders describe Kevin Bakhurst, 55 as a former news executive at RTE in Ireland. However, he is currently on Ofcom’s board of directors, which is often accused of being too close with the Corporation.
After BBC chiefs promised a ‘impartiality revolution’, prompted by rows about bias and the Martin bashir scandal, Mr Bakhurst emerged in the race to fill the vacant job.
Richard Sharp, Chairman of BBC, stated that the initiative would allow the BBC to be the fair, authoritative, impartial organisation it has always aspired to be since its charter was created.
Sunday’s Mail revealed that an Ofcom senior board member who resigned in the wake the Bashir scandal had rekindled concerns about the regulator’s proximity to the BBC.
Lord Dyson’s report on how Bashir got his famous interview with Princess Diana in 1995, criticised Tim Suter, former BBC managing director of programmes.
64-year old Mr. Suter played an important role in the internal investigation which concluded that Bashir’s actions were “absolutely straight” and “fair”.
Jonathan Munro was also a candidate for the job, and he was involved in the decision to allow Bashir the BBC to become a religious correspondent in 2016. Jamie Angus is also a contender.
The BBC declined comment.