Oi, Thommo

The Guardian has "gone" with its conviction, that Jana Bennett, Director of Vision, will move to BBC Worldwide in the New Year, with an announcement coming "as soon as the Christmas schedule has been put to bed", according to one of their sources.

I don't think that's what's going on with the delay. Senior moves are now so telegraphed in the BBC, it's enabling the departing grandees to nail down their "legacy", with an early "lavender list" of favours, before they move on - and the Thom(p)son twins are remiss in letting it happen. Jana's move was signalled in the summer, and since then, she's moved to biff Huggers' operators out of her Vision coterie, elevated Danny Cohen, and will endeavour to announce a new head for BBC3 before she goes.  It leaves no room for her successor, whether from inside or out, to reshape a team, without great additional restructuring costs, which would be a no-no at this time.  

It's highly likely that the other big "B", Mark Byford is trying to do the same sort of fixing the future in journalism, before his departure in the New Year. This is even more risky, because the "dissolution" of the Journalism Board requires a brand new structure at the top of news. I bet Helen Boaden, set to lead it as Director of News, would rather shape it after her esteemed leader has gone, or at least with him out of the room.  Thommo, you need to watch all this...