Second call

A timely change of heart by BBC bigwigs saw DG Mark Thompson pay tribute to Gerard Mansell yesterday. Gerard was a key driver of "Broadcasting in the 70s" which changed the face of BBC network radio - and established much of the current schedule of Radio 4; he went on to become an effective, loved and admired Managing Director of the BBC External Services - which became the World Service.

He died, aged 89, in December; and the initial response from the BBC was that they would not host a memorial. Yesterday they put that daft decision right, with an event in the "new" bit of Broadcasting House - and with speeches from John Tusa and Mark Tully, paying respects to a cultured, caring and creative man who, in different circumstances, might have been a DG.