Coming up

Let's hope DG Thommo has returned to White City energised today. It's a packed in-tray - and perhaps a trickier year ahead than he anticipated.

This month's agenda...

Sort out BBC Vision.  Choices to replace Jana Bennett are to give the job to nice George Enwistle, already acting; restructure, and gamble on Tim Davie as "output" supremo; or call in the headhunters.  There's no obvious outside contender, especially if the salary has to come down to around £300k.

Come to a deal with William Hague about the World Service.  The scale of the cuts requires language service closures - but  there's no PR triumph for the Foreign Secretary in presiding over devastation.  All bad news for the English output, which will take a bigger hit than first anticipated.

Keep an eye on the DCMS interviews for a new Chairman.  The last thing Mark wants is someone with an agenda.  Richard Lambert and Howard Davis might try to "do" something !

Start some straight dealing with the staff about the "16%" cuts. These will not be evenly applied. There are rumours of 30% savings demanded from the College of Journalism - imagine what might happen to them after creator and protector Mark Byford has left the scene.  It might become plain old News Training again.

Hope for a cash boost from the sale of the BBC's Oxford Road site in Manchester. ITV will be watching with interest, looking to raise even more when they vacate Quay Street for MediaCityUK.

Get ready for some turbulence around the Countryfile employment tribunal brought by axed reporter Miriam O'Reilly.  Whilst she may not win on claims of ageism, the BBC side seemed shaky - and probably destined for more than a ticking off from the chairman.