Maverick TV executive Michael Grade was named chairman of the BBC on Friday as Britain's public broadcaster recovers from an unprecedented judicial savaging of its pre-war Iraq coverage.
Grade, 61, known for his emphasis on ratings when he ran publicly owned broadcaster Channel 4, replaces Gavyn Davies, who resigned earlier this year after the Hutton inquiry into the BBC's role in the suicide of weapons expert David Kelly.
Kelly was the source for a BBC report that said Prime Minister Tony Blair's government "sexed up" evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Lord Hutton criticised editorial procedures and management, dealing a blow to the morale of BBC staff and leaving its independence in doubt.
"Michael is the right man at the right time," said Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell. "He has the energy to lead the BBC from the front, defending its independence and integrity from all comers."
However, she added in an interview with BBC Radio: "Nobody who chairs the BBC who has the vision, guts and courage to take the BBC forward is going to be uncontroversial."
Grade beat candidates including Baroness Barbara Young, chief executive of the Environment Agency, and BBC presenters David Dimbleby and David Frost. His four year appointment, which carries a salary of 81,320 pounds ($150,200) per year, was formally approved by Queen Elizabeth on Friday.
"The editorial independence of the BBC is paramount in maintaining the support of viewers and listeners. Without it, there is no point to the BBC," Grade said in a statement.
The stakes are high as he enters the job. His first task will be to appoint a director general - the combined chief executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC - to replace the popular and charismatic Greg Dyke, who also resigned in the wake of the Hutton report.
He will shepherd the BBC through a parliamentary review of its governing charter, amid calls for increased regulation and a reduction in the mandatory TV licence fees that fund the BBC's annual budget of more than two billion pounds ($3.7 billion)
During his eight years at the rival Channel 4, one critic dubbed the cigar-chomping mogul "pornographer in chief" for some of his racier programme choices.
Grade has heavyweight media experience. As well as being a former BBC director of programmes, he is also executive chairman of the Pinewood-Shepperton film studios and chairman of national lottery operator Camelot.
The government said Grade would resign from the boards of Camelot, Television Corp and SMG, but will remain as non-executive chairman of Pinewood-Shepperton and as chairman of Hemscott Group.
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