They've offered the names of Emma Swain, whose career has on occasions seemed interwined with George's; Peter Barron, now at Google UK, but previously George's successor as Editor, Newsnight; BBC1 Controller Danny Cohen, appointed by Jana Bennett way back in October 2010; his predecessor Jay Hunt, now at Channel 4, who's denied she was a mystery DG candidate; and Alison Kirkham, who commissions features and factual programmes for BBC1 and BBC2 with shorthand such as "Celeb Led Closed Ep Specialist Factual Formats for 9pm"
However the Guardian is missing one possible candidate. Tim Davie, currently Director of Audio & Music, and one of George's rivals for the DG, must feel it's job done in old Broadcasting House - he's demonstrated he can do "curation" as well as marketing, and he'd like to play telly in the shiny new bit of BH.
And the Guardian misses the big question for George. How to replace Caroline Thomson, who deputises for Thommo, and has an awkward portfolio as Chief Operating Officer ? It's pretty clear she's not keen to work under George for any longer than is diplomatic.
Here lie conundrums. Nobody really wants to look after bogs and boilers, but Caroline's department also includes policy, strategy, legal, transmitters, as well as HR and property. That probably puts it beyond the ambitious and well-paid Lucy "Warrior Princess" Adams. From her brushes with journalists, you wouldn't recommend her for the sensitive job of Charter Renewal - and she couldn't dep for George.
Helen Boaden might be persuaded that deputising for George is a good thing, but wouldn't thank him for the bogs and boilers.
One solution is more structural change. In the old days, John Smith combined the role of CFO and COO; might Zarin Patel move on too, if a big beast was to be brought in from outside ? Could George take advantage of new Broadcasting House and create a role combining tv, audio and online (without screams from Gillian Reynolds) ? How long is the deal for Peter Salmon to run North and live South ? And Mr Yentob (off to judge the Venice Biennale) ? And a role for Roger Mosey after the Olympics ? I'm practically combusting with excitement. No wonder George says he'll be spending sometime "listening".
However the Guardian is missing one possible candidate. Tim Davie, currently Director of Audio & Music, and one of George's rivals for the DG, must feel it's job done in old Broadcasting House - he's demonstrated he can do "curation" as well as marketing, and he'd like to play telly in the shiny new bit of BH.
And the Guardian misses the big question for George. How to replace Caroline Thomson, who deputises for Thommo, and has an awkward portfolio as Chief Operating Officer ? It's pretty clear she's not keen to work under George for any longer than is diplomatic.
Here lie conundrums. Nobody really wants to look after bogs and boilers, but Caroline's department also includes policy, strategy, legal, transmitters, as well as HR and property. That probably puts it beyond the ambitious and well-paid Lucy "Warrior Princess" Adams. From her brushes with journalists, you wouldn't recommend her for the sensitive job of Charter Renewal - and she couldn't dep for George.
Helen Boaden might be persuaded that deputising for George is a good thing, but wouldn't thank him for the bogs and boilers.
One solution is more structural change. In the old days, John Smith combined the role of CFO and COO; might Zarin Patel move on too, if a big beast was to be brought in from outside ? Could George take advantage of new Broadcasting House and create a role combining tv, audio and online (without screams from Gillian Reynolds) ? How long is the deal for Peter Salmon to run North and live South ? And Mr Yentob (off to judge the Venice Biennale) ? And a role for Roger Mosey after the Olympics ? I'm practically combusting with excitement. No wonder George says he'll be spending sometime "listening".
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