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BBC Studios boss Tim Davie to take on overall top job at the Beeb
By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 8 June 2020
The BBC board announced on Friday that Tim Davie – currently CEO of the broadcaster’s commercial wing BBC Studios – has been appointed as the new Director General of the Corporation. He will take over on 1 Sep.
Current DG Tony Hall announced his plans to stand down in January. He said that he was departing now so that his successor would have time to get established in the role before the 2022 review of the BBC’s current royal charter.
Given that review will hardly be over before negotiations begin on the next BBC royal charter – which will come into force in 2027 – Hall indicated that whoever oversees the 2022 review should probably plan to be around to also oversee the pre-2027 negotiations. And he didn’t want to commit to stay in the job that long.
The royal charter is the BBC’s government-negotiated agreement with Parliament that allows it to collect the licence fee. Both the review of the current charter and the follow on negotiations regarding the new charter are going to be tough, with the BBC’s critics and enemies in political circles and the wider media industry getting ever more vocal.
On top of that, the rise of Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok and all the rest – and the emergence of a generation of young consumers not interested in linear channels – means the BBC faces a big challenge to stay relevant. And that’s before you consider all the hoo and the haa about BBC News, which everyone is pretty certain is biased against their personal political persuasion (which you might think suggests it’s not actually biased at all, but few people see it that way).
In a week when diversity in the workplace was back in the spotlight, on one level it was a shame that the BBC was appointing yet another middle aged white man to the top job. Although in some ways Davie – with his knowledge of BBC politics and experience on the commercial side – was the obvious candidate.
In his role running BBC Studios and its predecessor BBC Worldwide, Davie is used to navigating the somewhat contradictory demands of the Corporation’s critics that the broadcaster must be both more commercially savvy but also less commercial.
Meanwhile, his previous ten year plus stint in marketing roles a PepsiCo means he isn’t the kind of life-long BBC staffer that some in the Conservative Party really dislike. Hey, he was even an active member of the Conservative Party itself in the 1990s.
Davie originally joined the Beeb in a senior marketing role in 2005 and then had a stint running the Corporation’s radio and music division before moving over to head up BBC Worldwide.
Which might mean he’ll fight hard for the Beeb’s music output during the charter review and follow-on negotiations. Though it was on his watch that the BBC tried to shut down 6 Music, which was a very-unpopular-in-the-industry, ultimately-over-turned, and with-hindsight-very-stupid decision. So who knows?
Announcing the appointment on Friday, the chair of the BBC board, David Clementi, said: “Tim has a strong track record as the CEO of BBC Studios and is one of the most respected names in the industry. His leadership and experience, both outside the BBC and within, will ensure that we are well placed to meet the opportunities and challenges of the coming years”.
“Tim has an enthusiasm and energy for reform”, he added “while holding dear to the core mission of the BBC. We know that the industry is undergoing unprecedented change and the organisation faces significant challenges as well as opportunities. I am confident that Tim is the right person to lead the BBC as it continues to reform and change”.
Davie himself added: “I am honoured to be appointed the BBC’s next Director General. This has been a critical time for the UK and these past few months have shown just how much the BBC matters to people. Our mission has never been more relevant, important or necessary”.
“I have a deep commitment to content of the highest quality and impartiality”, he went on. “Looking forward, we will need to accelerate change so that we serve all our audiences in this fast-moving world. Much great work has been done, but we will continue to reform, make clear choices and stay relevant. I am very confident we can do this because of the amazing teams of people that work at the BBC”.
