BBC appointment process criticised

Peers have criticised the appointment process for BBC chairmen and said that ministers have too much influence over the selection.

The Lords communications committee said the recent scandal over so-called fake phone competitions at the corporation highlighted the need to clarify the roles of its two senior posts.

In a report published on Friday, the peers said the chairman of the BBC Trust and the broadcaster's director general no longer stood "shoulder to shoulder".

They claimed that the selection process used to appoint current chairman Sir Michael Lyons had allowed ministers "considerable opportunity" for influence.

Sir Michael had been linked to Gordon Brown and had carried out jobs for the prime minister in his previous brief as chancellor.

"Ministers appointed the selection panel, ministers were allowed to change the shortlist of candidates and ultimately ministers were able to choose between four candidates who passed the interview process," the report said.

The report recommended that in future there should be a parliamentary hearing prior to the appointment of BBC Trust chairmen and said selection panel members should not have a political background or be a civil servant.

Other suggestions included limiting the panel to making one recommendation to ministers, who should have the power to reject that recommendation, and that chairmen be required to give notice before joining another company.

The committee said it was unclear where ultimate responsibility for the corporation stands, with the chairman of the BBC Trust holding regulatory responsibilities as well as acting as its head.

Committee chairman Lord Fowler said: "The independence of the BBC is of paramount importance to its viewers and listeners.

"Recent history shows that it is possible for the government of the day to come into conflict with the BBC. Yet government ministers have considerable powers over the selection of the chairman of the BBC.

"We think these powers should be limited. Parliament is the only undoubted representative of the licence fee payer and should have a greater role."

Liberal Democrat media spokesman Don Foster said the report highlighted "the failure of the government's post-Hutton attempts to reform the BBC".

"There is now real confusion as to who ensures the BBC remains independent from political interference and who is representing the interests of the licence fee-payer," he said.

"While the committee has made a number of insightful recommendations, only a fully independent public service broadcasting regulator will ensure the BBC continues to be a high quality benchmark for the media," he added.