I don't know much about Charles Moore, but if he genuinely does 'hate' the BBC, and it wasn't mainly bluster when working for a rival, then obviously he'll be a terrible choice as a large part of the job is defending the BBC.
However there does tend to be a thing whereby people go into a role like that not really understanding what an organisation does and wanting to reform. But once they get the job and get first hand knowledge of what it's actually like, what goes on and what it's trying to achieve, it can change their minds.
But as said above, the job process hasn't even started yet, one would hope that anyone who really wasn't suitable would be weeded out through that. You'd hope
However there does tend to be a thing whereby people go into a role like that not really understanding what an organisation does and wanting to reform. But once they get the job and get first hand knowledge of what it's actually like, what goes on and what it's trying to achieve, it can change their minds.
That's certainly true of some. James Harding changed his views of the BBC when he became Head Of BBC News.
But Charles Moore is an ideologue. He is the authorised biographer of Margaret Thatcher and would certainly some of the proposed reforms during the Thatcher era as unfinished business. The Peacock Committee in 1986 proposed that Radios 1 and 2 were sold off and the BBC eventually move from the licence fee to a subscription (not that encryption is currently possible with Freeview).
If anything, back in the mid 80s, Radio 1 was the more commercial station of the two with a huge listener base with an audience from kids to people in their 40s as it was the broad entertainment station.
Currently it's Radio 2 which has taken over the mantle of being the more commercial of the BBC's two mainstream music stations, as it lost their easy listening, older skewed format for a more mainstream AC format which has attracted listeners with a budget in the region of £40m per annum which the commercial sector can't compete on an equal level with.
Radio 1 has certainly warranted PSB status as it's become more of a tightly targeted station at underserved younger listeners as the commercial sector has largely gone to targeting 30+ adults along with the loss of the linear version of BBC Three.
I don't know much about Charles Moore, but if he genuinely does 'hate' the BBC, and it wasn't mainly bluster when working for a rival, then obviously he'll be a terrible choice as a large part of the job is defending the BBC.
However there does tend to be a thing whereby people go into a role like that not really understanding what an organisation does and wanting to reform. But once they get the job and get first hand knowledge of what it's actually like, what goes on and what it's trying to achieve, it can change their minds.
But as said above, the job process hasn't even started yet, one would hope that anyone who really wasn't suitable would be weeded out through that. You'd hope
They asked Andrew Neil about this on GMB and he said exactly that. That Moore would either "go native" or completely fail and be out of the job quick. He also felt that the whole thing was a typical Johnson "joke". The kind of thing he'd suggest in a meeting at the spectator and him and morgan agreed that the PM was out of his depth.
I think those people who think Neil's new channel is going to be a British Fox news are in for a suprise.
In relation to the BBC, we need a man or woman who is not anti BBC to be the chair of the BBC. We need someone who loves the BBC and wishes to make it better, rather than an individual who hates the BBC and wishes it to be gone.
Why would Charles Moore take the position if offered in the first place. It would surely damage him PR wise, as they will dig up every anti BBC sentiment he has ever said, and then ask the question how he can be the best candidate?
We all know the BBC needs large scale reform, it doesn't need someone who detests it to come in and destroy it.
It's basically someone in Number 10 trolling. Because that's where things are going here as in the US - the most important thing is to divide and 'own' the other side. Wind up and distract rather than do anything useful.
It does seem that neither Dacre or Moore are really in the running as yet, the process hasn't even started.
Incidently I saw someone on Twitter suggest Baroness (Floella) Benjamin for BBC Chair. Don't think it's likely, but it would be such a good choice
Charles Moore becoming BBC Chairman has proved to be a non-story as he has "pulled out" of the race, most likely to make the government's actual candidate seem reasonable: