Pretty vacant

There's now an interesting cluster of jobs to be filled across the BBC - Head of the BBC at Media City, Salford (aka "King of the North"); Controller, Radio 2; Director, World Service; Chief Technology Officer,FM&T (a chum for Erik Huggers); Controller, English Regions - and probably more I've missed. The style and background of the successful candidates will tell us....

• if there is a talented cadre of reserves inside the BBC, like Arsene Wenger's Carling Cup side
• if there is a move to "safe pairs of hands" as opposed to "creative leaders", in the face of strong words about editorial judgement from Sir Michael Lyons
• if there's a will to take on talented individuals from outside the mothership

Meanwhile congratulations to Lesley Douglas, hired by Universal Music for her ability to make great programmes.