Next director general faces government and public doubts over universal licence fee
When applications to be the
BBC director general opened at the start of the year, it was seen by some potential candidates within the media industry as something of a poisoned chalice.
The victorious candidate would inherit a sprawling broadcaster facing a hostile government intent on cutting it down to size, an organisation required to impose further financial cuts even as it struggled to compete in a global media marketplace, and a media business built on the principle of universal appeal trying to attract younger audiences who don’t feel the same natural affinity to its services.