Dyke Pledges To Uphold BBC’s Independence

Following news this morning that Greg Dyke is to be the next director general of the BBC (see Newsline), Dyke has resigned from the Labour Party and pledged to uphold the Corporation’s reputation for independence.

Commenting on the appointment this morning, he said: “I am absolutely delighted to be taking on the biggest and best job in broadcasting. It will be a privilege to lead one of Britain’s great institutions into the next century, building on the far-sighted work of John Birt and his colleagues.”

Dyke pledged at a press conference this morning to be ‘scrupulously fair’ in his role as DG, and voiced intentions to talk to the staff about possible changes within the Corporation. He commented that bringing sports coverage back to the BBC would be a long and difficult process, and that the rise of pay-tv has brought a whole new source of income to the field. His primary concern is to keep the BBC at the forefront of broadcasting in the digital and internet age.

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