The next chairman of Ofcom has been announced. Media executive and Conservative peer Michael Grade – who has held senior positions at the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 – has been named by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries as the Government’s preferred candidate for the role.
It marks the culmination of a process that began two years ago to find a suitable person to chair the watchdog, which oversees broadcasting and telecommunications in the UK. The hunt for a new incumbent sparked controversy as former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre was reportedly Boris Johnson’s preferred choice during the initial interviews - but he withdrew from the race, claiming the civil service had influenced the process because of his right-of-centre “convictions”.
In January, ministers announced they were reopening the recruitment process for the £142,500 three-day-a-week Ofcom job. They were extending the application deadline, it was said, after a “favourite” to fill the position walked away.
Lord Gilbert of Panteg, former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and life peer, and Lord Moore, former editor of the Daily Telegraph, were both also reportedly in the running for the role. Lord Grade will now appear before MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee during a pre-appointment hearing.
He said: “Ofcom is respected across the globe as a first rate communications regulator so I am privileged to be asked to become its chair. The role of Ofcom in British life has never been more important with new responsibilities on the horizon regulating online safety, on top of the ever changing broadcasting landscape. I look forward to my appearance in front of the DCMS Select Committee to outline what I can bring to this role and how I can help ensure Ofcom is fit for the future.”
Ms Dorries said: “I am delighted to announce that Lord Grade is the Government’s preferred candidate to be the new chair of Ofcom. Lord Grade’s experience at the highest level of a number of broadcasters and his expert knowledge of the British media landscape makes him an ideal candidate for this role.
“Going forward, Ofcom has an even more important role to play as the UK’s communications regulator. The introduction of the Online Safety Bill will give it new responsibilities and resources to ensure digital platforms tackle illegal and abusive material online. I am confident that under Lord Grade’s leadership Ofcom will rise to the challenge with great success.”
During his career, Lord Grade has served as controller of BBC One, chief executive of Channel 4, chairman of the BBC and executive chairman of ITV plc. He currently sits as a Conservative peer in the House of Lords after being appointed by David Cameron in 2011.
If he is appointed as Ofcom chair, he will move to the cross-benches and give up any non-executive roles that could cause a conflict of interest. The former media executive has spoken in favour of the privatisation of Channel 4 and recently criticised the BBC’s coverage of events such as the Downing Street parties as “gleeful and disrespectful”.
Labour’s shadow minister for media Chris Elmore criticised the recruitment process. He called it a “chaotic and quite frankly embarrassing example of Tory cronyism and ineptitude”.
He added: “After the Prime Minister promised the job to one of his friends, the role has now been given to Lord Grade, a Conservative peer who is completely out of touch with the British public and referred to the BBC’s coverage of the Downing Street parties as ‘gleeful and disrespectful’. With Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine showing the importance of robust, independent journalism and Ofcom poised to be handed more power to govern online platforms, the UK’s reputation as a world-leading regulator is being put at risk by the Government appointing another party insider.”
The appointment is for a term of four years. Lord Grade takes over from interim chair Maggie Carver.
