AOL Chief Tipped For Channel 4 Chair

Michael Lynton, president of AOL International and acting chief executive of AOL Europe, is believed to have emerged as a last minute candidate to become the next chief executive of Channel 4.

Lynton, previously chairman of Penguin and former candidate for the director general’s job at the BBC, is thought to be running against the BBC’s director of programmes, Mark Thompson, who is tipped as favourite to take over from Michael Jackson as head of the channel.

A spokesman for Channel 4 could not comment on the candidates but confirmed that a decision will be made shortly. He said: “Things are coming to a head and a decision will be announced following a meeting of the Channel 4 board later this afternoon.”

The appointment of Jackson’s successor has been delayed due to a number of high profile candidates pulling out of the running. Channel 5’s chief executive, Dawn Airey, ruled herself out of the job earlier in the month, saying that she saw her future at Channel 5 (see Airey Rules Out Top Channel 4 Job), and creative director of Endemol, Peter Bazalgette, withdrew from the running shortly afterwards (see Peter Bazalgette Pulls Out Of Channel 4 Race).

Channel 4: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com

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