The United Kingdom’s Conservative Government, reportedly on December 6, selected Indian-origin Samir Shah as the new Chairman of Britain’s biggest public broadcasting company, BBC.
He would be replacing acting chairperson Dame Elan Closs Stephens, who had taken this position after Conservative donor Richard Sharp resigned from the position over a perceived conflict of interest in a secret loan arrangement for Boris Johnson some eight months ago.
Sharp had assumed the role of BBC chairman in early 2021 and stepped down in April after an investigation revealed that he was unable to disclose his involvement in arranging a loan of nearly $1 million to Boris Johnson while he was the Prime Minister.
Shah’s appointment will most certainly be ratified by a parliamentary committee and comes at a rather crucial time for the BBC, which is currently looking at an escalated funding crunch. The corporation is glancing at an ambitious goal of making £500 million in savings and has recently announced cutbacks to its flagship “Newsnight” programme.
Samir Shah, 71, will be tasked to negotiate with the government to bring about an increase to the licence fee, which is where the BBC gets most of its funding. He said in a statement that he was “delighted” to have been named the government’s preferred candidate.
Additionally, UK media reported recently that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak plans to block a nine per cent increase in the annual fee, which is currently £159 ($200) per household.
Longtime executive Samir Shah’s career in television is a mighty one with a career spanning over the course of four decades. During this period, he has been given the responsibility of carrying out several roles.
Previously as well he holds experience of working in BBC from late 1980s through 1990s as the head of current affairs and political programmes.
The CEO and owner of Juniper, an independent television and radio production company, Dr Samir Shah has served as a non-executive director of the BBC between 2007 and 2010.
Shah has garnered multiple awards to his name including the CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 for services to television diversity and heritage.
“We welcome the announcement that Samir Shah has been selected as the Government’s preferred candidate to take up the role of BBC chair and look forward to him joining the board once the formal process has been complete,” said a BBC spokesperson.
Shah’s selection marks a significant change in the BBC landscape as it highlights that there will now be a journalist seated at the top of the BBC. Although the BBC is politically independent, its chairperson is appointed by the government.
Comments