Bigger Bob

Not a bad 24 hours for Bob Shennan. The BBC's Director of Music, Controller of Radio 2, Asian Network and 6 Music was in Leeds to pick up the Aria Award for Radio 2 as Station of the Year - and then Bob was announced as Director of Radio, giving him "daily oversight of BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 live and digital-only stations 1Xtra, 6Music, BBC Radio 4 Extra, 5 live sports extra and Asian Network, as well as the BBC Performing Groups, the BBC Proms, BBC Music and radio production." Could be quite a noisy office.

There will, apparently, be a new Controller for Radio 2: "The BBC has confirmed to RadioToday that Bob will still have oversight of BBC Music but won’t remain Controller of Radio 2. His successor as boss of Europe’s biggest radio station will be announced at a later date. " Let's hope there are at least interviews before anyone anoints Lewis Carnie.

Now, Lord Hall and his HR matron Valerie Hughes D'Aeth have to put the new job spec into the Hay Job Evaluation Nutribullet and come up with a new salary for Bob. It's exactly the same 'size' as the seat about to be vacated by Helen Boaden, but the seat is not at the toble table. Helen also took on myBBC from James Purnell without a salary increase. We are told Bob "will work closely with James on the strategy for radio"; how much is a portion of strategic control worth ?

Bob's on £244,565. James is on £295,000. Helen leaves on £352,900.  How many points do you give Bob on Know How, Problem Solving and, the biggie, Accountability ?  Go on, have a stab.