Form book 29

26 days to sort out the next BBC DG - if, of course, my belief that Lord Patten would like to have it done before Wimbledon starts is correct.

Ed Richards of Ofcom is currently favourite at the bookies. One presumes Ed believes he has a good chance, otherwise why risk his formidable reputation ? He might get a little nudge up on his 2011 pay packet of £382k.   But even applying brings out those who are not fans - a single issue website has popped up complaining about Ed's expenses on joining Ofcom in 2003, which included £3000 for relocation from Wales and £650 to get school recommendations for his children. Unremarkable, I'd say, in those days, though the site promises more to come - is someone playing a little rough ?

Meanwhile internal favourite George Entwistle is restructuring his "Vision" department. Not a moment too soon it would seem, given his analysis of how it handles programme money. 'As we operate the system right now, we count our money too many times. We count it into the channels, we count it out of the channels and into the genres and then out of the genres into production. I know, I've done all three jobs - and believe me, it's the same money. There isn't any more or any less of it at the end of this carousel; and this is exactly the kind of duplication that the new system will bring to an end.'  Should George have blown the whistle earlier ?

Internal second favourite Caroline Thomson, meanwhile, is networking. Tonight she hosts alumni of York University with a media bent at the Media Cafe in Broadcasting House. I have no news of Helen Boaden.

While I wasn't looking, Carolyn McCall OBE, ex Guardian Group and now with Easyjet, has appeared in the bookies' listings, at 16/1.  Her total remuneration last year was £1.5m, though some £420k was in shares which will be deferred for three years. If she's a player, she must be ready to take a cut on her current £665k basic.