BBC Governorships To Be Advertised For The First Time

Culture Secretary Chris Smith has announced that from this Sunday advertisements will appear in the press for BBC Governorships; this is the first time that public positions of this sort have been opened up by advertising.

Adverts inviting applications for the positions of Vice Chairman and Governors will appear in the national and home country press from 1 March 1998.

This move is part of a drive by Mr Smith to see “more openness and transparency introduced into the process for making key public appointments.” Mr Smith says that he is keen to see people applying for the posts who may not otherwise have been aware of their availability.

The positions of BBC Vice Chairman and two BBC Governors – one of whom will chair the English National Forum – will become vacant when the current terms of appointment expire on 31 July 1998. The new appointments will be for a period of four years.

Advertisements will appear in The Sunday Times, The Times, The Guardian, The Glasgow Herald, The Western Mail and The Belfast Telegraph.

Department For Culture, Media & Sport: 0171 211 6266