back to article BBC TV boss George Entwistle nabs director general post

George Entwistle, a BBC insider since 1989, was today appointed the corporation's new director general and will replace Mark Thompson. Entwistle has the strongest programme-making background of the shortlisted hopefuls for the top job. He is currently in charge of TV - or "director of vision" as the BBC calls the post. That …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Well done George... !

    Congratulations. Good job.

    Programme maker back at the helm.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Well done George... !

      Well done? Au contraire, if he's currently in charge of Beeb Telly, then he's also responsible for the BBC's contribution to the desolate "nothing worth watching" schedules over recent months (and arguably years), and he should have been sacked, not promoted.

      Peak time offer from the BBC tonight? DIY SOS: The Big Build. Whoofuckingpee. Or about three hours of Wimbledon on BBC2. The other BBC digital channels are stuffed with repeats of repeats. Quite how they manage to come up with so little for their nearly five billion quid income I have no idea.

      1. Chris 3

        Re: Well done George... !

        Clearly posted by someone who doesn't watch much BBC4

        1. Chad H.
          FAIL

          Re: Well done George... !

          I don't think anyone watches much BBC4... If they put up a test card it would be more entertaining than the crap they show.

          1. mrfill
            Devil

            Re: Well done George... !

            Hope you're enjoying the new series of Geordie Shore

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Well done George... !

          "Clearly posted by someone who doesn't watch much BBC4"

          That a long list of suspects, then.

  2. SiempreTuna
    Thumb Up

    His Most Important Asset MISSED!

    Namely that he's apparently NOT some right wing tory nutter, still best mates with Murdoch and bent on engineering the BBCs demise from the inside.

    After the shameless attempt to fix the NI / Sky deal by sliding in Hunt, that really IS a surprise.

    1. Tom 38

      Re: His Most Important Asset MISSED!

      Definitely not right wing, he works for Aunty.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    erm...

    "The ethical dilemma, as ever, is continuing to levy a full charge on people who don't consume swaths of BBC output - obliging them to subsidise the often wealthier people who do (think Radio 4). "

    Isn't it more likely to be the Radio 4 listener subsidising vast swathes of rubbish for everyone else given the tiny cost of running it compared to BBC1 / BBC Three / Sports rights?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Childcatcher

      Re: erm...

      "Isn't it more likely to be the Radio 4 listener subsidising vast swathes of rubbish for everyone else given the tiny cost of running it compared to BBC1 / BBC Three / Sports rights?"

      What about the cost of the endless taxi service between the offices of the Guardian and the BBC?

      1. Jonathan Richards 1
        Headmaster

        That endless taxi service...

        ...clearly has two ends, which you mentioned in the very same sentence. Or perhaps you meant continuous taxi service? POINH, or a url at least.

  4. s. pam Silver badge
    WTF?

    Gee Whizz...

    I figured Diamond had resigned from that Bank to take over the Beeb, or Bernie Madoff would win the job.

    Guess my lottery ticket still didn't come in....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Gee Whizz...

      You're almost on the money - I wondered yesterday why the Beeb reporters were being so gentle and pussy footing round Marcus Agius, outgoing chairman of Barclays, until I realised he's a BBC non-exec.

      Small world, what what!

  5. GrumpyJoe
    Thumb Up

    Even with a dearth of content

    the diamonds on the BBC output far outshine the dross on other, lesser channels. Broken down over a year, I do not begrudge the licence fee (I'm on freeview so it's my ONLY tv viewing outgoing, no Sky or Virgin).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Even with a dearth of content

      Fair point about the quality at best, but the diamonds have become fewer and farther apart. Look at 'em struggling to wheel out three episodes of Sherlock every couple of years. The return of Upstairs Downstairs might as well have been a repeat, for the caricatures in it. And, and... well, there hasn't been much to crow about. Even the events broadcasting has taken a severe downhill turn, to judge by the shite coverage of the Jubilee. Even the news has been a bit gutless and timid since the traitor Blair took the BBC to task for their temerity in showing that he'd lied through his teeth in order to start an illegal war.

  6. jason 7
    Unhappy

    So where does he stand on....

    Quality drama, decent news, properly researched documentaries, ground breaking comedy etc.?

    Or is he just going to dish out more "Celebrity Dancing Arseholes for Dinner on Ice?

    The BBC have just given up.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: So where does he stand on....

      Dunno, listening to a radio adaptation of "zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" recently, I'd say exactly where they have always stood.

      Watch BBC3, of course you get tabloid crap for Daily Mail readers. Different channels for different content isn't that hard to grasp, surely?

    2. jason 7

      Re: So where does he stand on....

      I'm amazed that two people so far feel the need to defend "Celebrity Dancing Arseholes for Dinner on Ice".

  7. James 47

    £450k p/a

    Nice

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @ James 47

      Somebody has to be the 1%.

  8. Tom 38
    Headmaster

    Radio 4 not for rich people

    Just intelligent people.

    1. crowley

      Re: Radio 4 not for rich people

      Yes, the poorest person I know is an avid listener.

      The -real- middle class is a cultural position, a regard for learning, reason, debate, etc.

      So my friend has been accompanied by Radio 4 through her blokes drug induced psychotic breakdown, then years of single-motherhood as she's gone to uni, acquired an MA, worked in publishing, started a career in teaching, and raised two of the most pleasant and intelligent kids I've ever met.

      And that's in spite of officials telling her she might as well just go on full-time benefits.

      Intelligence may be essential, but it's also about values. Money is definitely optional, and possibly even obstructive, given how vacuous, self satisfied and complacent it can make people.

    2. toadwarrior
      Joke

      Re: Radio 4 not for rich people

      All poor people are stupid. That's why they're poor.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like