Form book 2

Today's DG speculation all in one place.

Ehpraim Hardcastle in the Mail muses on Lord Patten's recruitment strategy: "Is he looking for a new BBC DG who is under his thumb and in his own image – a safe-pair-of-hands time-server at the end of his career ?"

(Him ? End of career ? Male candidates so far mentioned in the press are Tim Davie, George Entwistle and Danny Cohen - none of whom would see the DG role as the end of their working lives. Certainly not at Patten's proposed sub £500k salary).

Tim Walker in The Telegraph says Joan Bakewell is backing Helen Boaden - and, horror of horrors, Joan had dinner with Lord Patten last night. Brave Tim covers the field with an "insider" who tips Caroline Thomson, George Entwistle and Tim Davie.

(The "insider" also talks about Patten halving Mark Thompson's £671k salary for a successor.  That's off - as we've said, over £400k and below £500k is Patten's thinking).

Broadcast takes a measured approach: "Names in the frame have tended to focus around those already working at the BBC, particularly director of Vision George Entwistle, director of news Helen Boaden and director of BBC North Peter Salmon."

(I think an insider is inevitable. It needs to be someone who's bought into DQF, not someone with a different plan)