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Mark Thompson

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:''This article is about Mark Thompson, the director of the BBC. For other individuals with the same name, see Mark Thompson (disambiguation).'' Image:markatbbc.jpg thumb|left|410px|BBC director-general Mark Thompson '''Mark Thompson''' (born July 31 1957) is Director-General of the BBC Director-General of the BBC, and a former Chief executive officer chief executive of Channel 4. Born in London and brought up in Hertfordshire, he went to Stonyhurst College in Lancashire and Merton College, Oxford Merton College, Oxford, where he received a First in English language English. He now lives in Oxford with his United States American wife Jane, and has three children.

Appointment as Director-General
Thompson was appointed Director-General on May 21 2004. He succeeded Greg Dyke, who resigned on January 29 2004 in the aftermath of the Hutton Inquiry. Although he had originally stated he was not interested in the role of Director-General and would turn down any approach from the BBC, he changed his mind, saying the job was a "one-of-a-kind opportunity". The decision to appoint Thompson Director-General was made unanimously by the Board of Governors of the BBC BBC Board of Governors, headed by new Chairman Michael Grade (another former chief executive of Channel 4). His appointment was widely praised: Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, Shadow Culture Secretary Julie Kirkbride and Greg Dyke were amongst those who supported his selection. He took up the role of Director-General on June 22 2004 (Mark Byford had been Acting Director-General since Dyke's resignation). On his first day he announced several management changes, including the replacement of the BBC's sixteen-person executive committee with a slimmed-down executive board of nine top managers. His salary for the year 2004/2005 (as disclosed by the BBC) was £453,000, not including a bonus which he waived for this period.

Broadcasting career
Image:markatbbc2.jpg thumb|right|410px| He first joined the BBC as a production trainee in 1979. His subsequent career within the organisation has been varied, including: * 1981 - assisted launching long-running consumer programme ''Watchdog (television) Watchdog'' * 1983 - assisted launching ''Breakfast Time'' * 1985 - Output Editor, ''Newsnight'' * 1988 - Editor, ''Nine O'Clock News'' * 1990 - Editor, ''Panorama'' * 1992 - Head of Features * 1994 - Head of Factual Programmes * 1996 - Controller, BBC TWO * 1999 - Director, National and Regional Broadcasting In April 2000 he became BBC director of television, but left the corporation in March 2002 to become chief executive of Channel 4.

External links

- Channel 4 boss lands BBC top job (BBC)
- New BBC boss announces shake-up (BBC)
- Will Thompson be toast over the day he bit a BBC colleague? (Guardian)
- BBC boss sank teeth into his newsroom colleague (Telegraph)
- Biting comment over job cuts at the BBC (BBC) {{start box}} {{incumbent succession box|title=Director-General of the BBC Director-Generalof the BBC|before=Mark Byford|after=Current |start=2004}} {{succession box|title=Chief Executiveof Channel 4.html">Michael Jackson (TV) Michael Jackson|after=Andy Duncan (executive) Andy Duncan|years=2002–2004}} {{succession box|title=Controller of BBC Two.html">Michael Jackson (TV) Michael Jackson|after=Jane Root|years=1996–1999}} {{end box}} Category:1957 births Thompson, Mark Category:BBC Two controllers Thompson, Mark Category:British television executives Thompson, Mark Category:Living people Thompson, Mark Category:Old Stonyhurst Thompson, Mark

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