BBC Director-General to give Distinguished Gates Lecture

BBC supremo Mark Thompson is to give a public lecture this week on the future of broadcasting. Thompson, the Director-General of the BBC, will give a Gates Distinguished Lecture today (4 May). He has a long career in broadcasting, having been head of the BBC since 2004 and previously chief executive of Channel 4. Prior to joining Channel 4 he had a long pedigree with the BBC, having assisted the launch of Breakfast Time in 1983, been editor of Panorama and the main BBC news bulletin as well as being head of features, factual programmes, controller of BBC 2, director of national and regional broadcasting and director of television. During his time as Director-General, Thompson has overseen the broadening of choice on TV and radio by developing wider channel portfolios and the use of other digital platforms. He says the challenge now "is to concentrate on the quality, value and memorability of our content, not just in television but across our services". He has recently been in the news in connection with proposed cuts to the BBC's budget as part of the public sector cutback programme.