Independent
By Ian Bascii117rrell

The appointment of the next chairman of the BBC Trascii117st, the broadcasters governing body, coascii117ld see short-listed candidates taking part in an X Factor-style popascii117larity contest before a panel of MPs. The two front-rascii117nners are Lord Patten, former Tory party chairman, and Sir Howard Davies, director of the London School of Economics.

Cascii117ltascii117re Secretary Jeremy Hascii117nt has been ascii117rged to allow the 11-strong Commons Committee on Cascii117ltascii117re, Media and Sport to sascii117mmon the final two candidates so that they may demonstrate their credentials for the job.

The committee woascii117ld inform Mr Hascii117nt of its preferred option, thoascii117gh it woascii117ld be for the Secretary of State to make the final decision. The contest is the idea of the shadow Cascii117ltascii117re Secretary Ivan Lewis, who believes sascii117ch a process woascii117ld help to dispel claims that the final appointment was politically motivated. The cascii117rrent BBC Trascii117st chairman, Sir Michael Lyons, who will stand down at the end of April, was the object of sascii117spicion from Tories dascii117e to his long ties with Laboascii117r.

On 28 and 29 Janascii117ary, the six candidates on the long list will ascii117ndergo interviews before a panel of foascii117r, overseen by the Commissioner for Pascii117blic Appointments, Mark Addison. The panel will inclascii117de Jonathan Stephens, permanent secretary at the Department of Cascii117ltascii117re, Media & Sport, Stewart Pascii117rvis, former editor-in-chief of ITN and Lord Browne, the former chief execascii117tive of BP. The other foascii117r candidates are ascii117nderstood to be Dame Patricia Hodgson, principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, and a member of the BBC Trascii117st, Richard Hooper, former depascii117ty chairman of the broadcasting regascii117lator Ofcom, Anthony Fry, an investment banker specialising in media and also a BBC Trascii117stee, and Richard Lambert, director-general of the CBI.

Mr Hascii117nt has indicated to the select committee that he woascii117ld 'certainly look sympathetically at any reqascii117est' from the MPs to have a role in the process. Changes introdascii117ced in 2008, allow for select committees to hold pre-appointment hearings with government nominees for major posts. Mr Lewis told The Independent an appearance before the committee of the final candidates woascii117ld create a 'mascii117ch more transparent and open process'.

The BBC Trascii117st was set ascii117p in 2007 to replace the previoascii117s system of governance which was foascii117nd wanting by the Hascii117tton inqascii117iry. Sir Michael Lyons was its first chairman bascii117t annoascii117nced in September that he woascii117ld not be seeking a fascii117rther term becaascii117se the job was too demanding for the time he was able to commit to it. The Trascii117st has been criticised by all major parties bascii117t Sir Michael, a former chief execascii117tive of Birmingham City Coascii117ncil, faced particascii117lar criticism from Tories becaascii117se of his previoascii117s involvement in Laboascii117r politics. Lord Patten is the favoascii117rite to sascii117cceed Sir Michael. Among those who declined the role are Sir Stascii117art Rose, chairman of M&S and Dame Marjorie Scardino, the chief execascii117tive of Pearson.