Tara Conlon at the Guardian reports that BBC business editor Robert Peston has been interviewed to replace Mark Damazer as controller of Radio Four.
He hasn’t yet denied it so maybe it is a good shout. After four years at the coal face reporting on the near collapse of the British economy Peston could be looking for a new challenge.
He has experience of running the Sunday Telegraph business team as business editor there before joining the BBC, but apart from that could hardly be said to be match-fit management wise.
But after an amazing run as business editor he has won the right to name his prize for staying at the BBC – he could surely make a fortune if he chose to defect to Sky News, the world of business or even ITV. But there is a lot more to Radio 4 than journalism, and Peston (as far as I know) doesn’t have much experience on the drama side. Arts journalist Mark Lawson is also understood to have thrown his hat in for the job.
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It sounds like they are spreading the net pretty wide for this job so here are a few more suggestions:
Former Telegraph editor Will Lewis, he needs a job and will soon be coming to the end of his gardening leave.
Jonathan Ross, let’s face it the Today Programme could be a bit more edgy nowadays.
Lenny Henry, he’s not that funny any more so might benefit from a move into management.
Mariella Frostrup, it would be one sure-fire way to tackle her criticisms about misogyny at the station.
Any more suggestions welcome…
Read Conlon’s Guardian story here.
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