Lord Gilbert considered to lead BBC funding review
Lord Gilbert is reportedly in the race to lead the BBC’s funding review.
Gilbert, who was recently snubbed in favour of Lord Grade as chair of Ofcom, is among the people being considered by culture secretary Nadine Dorries, Sky News first reported.
Whitehall sources told the outlet Gilbert would be an “uncontroversial” choice but that the appointment is still a few weeks’ away.
Given peerage in 2015 by former Prime Minister David Cameron, Lord Gilbert has chaired the House of Lords communications and digital committee.
The culture secretary, who supports the privatisation of Channel 4, argued the government was ready “to implement a new way of funding the BBC,” including putting an end to the subscription fee.
A Netflix-style subscription system could be in the cards under government plans.
The BBC recently announced the latest round of job cuts, as the public broadcaster aims to save £200m, City PM has reported.
Director-general Tim Davie said there would be up to 1,000 fewer people employed in the public-funded part of the BBC over the next few years.
What’s more, services including BBC Four and CBBC will move to iPlayer, but not for at least three years.
“This is our moment to build a digital-first BBC. Something genuinely new, a Reithian organisation for the digital age, a positive force for the UK and the world,” he told staff.
“Independent, impartial, constantly innovating and serving all. A fresh, new, global digital media organisation which has never been seen before.”
Under the cuts, BBC World News and BBC News Channel will merge to create a single 24-hour TV news channel serving both UK and international audiences.