Michael Grade resigns as BBC Chairman

It was always going to be one of two people - Michael Grade (MG) or Greg Dyke - and I am not ashamed to admit that I totally dismissed MG from the start thinking that he would stay with the BBC.

MG does have ITV heritage behind him, Lew Grade - ATV - LWT etc... I can almost guarantee that he will scrutinise the whole ITV business and remove the deadwood the not profitable parts. So there goes ITV4 - possible merger with Men and Motors. I know he not only dislikes Dr Who but he has said in the past that he dislikes the new type of gameshow channels - so I can see ITV play ebeing removed from ITV1,2 and just staying on ITV play - but what's the betting that ITV Play replaces ITV4 i.e. only on aire between 6pm and 6am - thus freeing a transponder (aimed at freeview viewers here!!!!) for the new Men & Motors/ITV4.

He is deeply [passionate about ITV1 as that were his heritage is so I can envisage him taking a major role in rejuvinating the channel/schedule.

But he is also there for shareholders - making sure they keep the peace and creating profits to keep them happy. Just by being there he has the Feel-ggod presence and that will definiately help the company.

All in all, from my own personal point of view, this is very good news for the ailing channel and just hope that his magic will work wonders and turn its fortunes around, once more!

Just to add this will not mean the return of the regions, although in my heart of hearts it is a shame, as that ideology was TOTALLY destroyed by Charles Allen and would cost afr too much to re-introduce and re-pacakge.

Also just to add - all the said above would have equally applied to Greg Dyke (apart from the heritage but that would have been replaced with even more pride and passion as to the good jobs he did at both TVam and LWT)

http://www.transdiffusion.org/emc/tvheroes/michael_grade.php

Were you a Doctor Who fan, per chance?

Of course, one of his least popular decisions was to axe Doctor Who the first time around, but truthfully the series had many problems towards the end.

And if the BBC take a more populist route, that's not ITV's fault. This is a cracking move by ITV, and it has possibly saved the company.

Absolutely not and never have been. But this was Grade's Lorraine Heggessey/balloon moment, certainly not his finest hour.

Actually, re-reading that article, he didn't actually axe Doctor Who, he just rested it. He had left by the time it was eventually axed.

Trust me when I say that ITV need Michael Grade more than the BBC right now, and I truely believe he will do a good job in driving the ship back in the right direction.

Indeed, given it wasn't until 1989 that the Tardis was grounded.

But let's clear this up once and for all. Michael Grade was NOT responsible for EastEnders; it was actually his successor as BBC1 controller - then head of Drama - Jonathan Powell, who commissioned it almost two years before Grade arrived. Only the timing of the launch allowed him to take the credit. Likewise the COW globe for which plans were in the advanced stages at the time of Michael's appointment.

If anyone can save ITV it is Michael Grade, but so much damage has been done I don't envy him. He is more suited to a commercial channel which is why I wasn't keen on his handiwork at BBC1; not to mention his more politically correct ideologies such as axing beauty contests. But it was lamentable that BBC1's biggest crowd-puller was Dallas - if this was the best a public-funded broadcaster could do, something was wrong.

That's a bit easy to say with hindsight. It clearly was not always going to be MG or GD - there were several (even numerous) potential candidates. What you mean is that MG and GD are the two highest profile candidates that could have taken the job. Although Andy Duncan from C4 would have been in a similar vein.

What a blow for the Beeb; "incandescent with rage" indeed.

At first I wondered whether this move was a mistake, but it then became obvious that ITV is currently in need more, not a patch on what it once was; it needs a shake-up. I know I don't watch ITV anywhere near as much as I used to.

While programming is top of the list to sort out, the identity does need looking at - IMO it is sedate and meaningless; hence it should be stripped and replaced with something that is far more memorable.

As for a bite of chevron and cake; I think I'd give it a miss - might have passed its sell-by date by now, I'm not sure!

In terms of the overall day-to-day operations of the BBC, this will have relatively little impact as the Chairman of the BBC has very little to do with that side of things.

However, it may impact on the current BBC negotiations with the government over the licence fee settlement. The Dear Leader and The Dour One are set to nuke the BBC's request for an above inflation settlement to fund things like the move of some departments to Manchester and digital switch-over. In response, the BBC may well nuke the move to Manchester. Part of the reason why Grade is leaving might be because he knows the BBC position is going to be shot down.

What I meant was that them 2 ARE the best people for the job - if you look at other threads, that are based upon ITV's Directorship, I totally dismiss MG and favour GD all the way - although every now and again make a tongue in cheek remark about Jonathan Powell - due to the fact that I felt that MG was to be at the BBC for the much forseeable future. To be honest there is no one as good as either MG or GD.

IMHO they are only the 2 candidiates I know that would ever do the unachievable and make ITV1 a very watchable/diverse channel again and create profit for the whole business. They are the only candidates that would bring back the feel good factor - and that is a real BIG plus within business. ANd they are the only candidates I know that would appease the shareholders.

If it had been public knowledge that MG was in the running - how split would this forum had been as to which one was best for the job? Even for me it would have been a VERY tough job as they both have fantastic and similar attributes that would turn around ITV's fortunes and probably I would have completely sat on the fence, as I often do (btw), and just read the many posts arguing as to which one should have got the post. If there had been an opportunity to employ both then that would have been pure nirvana.

Leave me some!!

This is excellent news. I think Grade will 'steady the ship' as it were and rejuvenate ITV into an excellent broadcaster.

The BBC should accept the 2.5% licence fee, cancel Manchester, then employ Greg Dyke as Chairman of the trustees and we can all watch the BBC expose the government for the fraud it is