Ofcom has confirmed that its CEO Ed Richards has put his name forward for the post of director-general of the BBC. The incumbent Mark Thompson has signaled his intention to step down after London 2012.
“Robust procedures, agreed by the Ofcom chairman and the board, have been put in place to prevent any potential conflict of interest,” the communications regulator said in a statement.
Although the BBC is largely regulated internally by the BBC Trust, Ofcom has a number of responsibilities that affect the corporation, such as the approval of exclusive sporting events and its participation in any public interest test on future BBC projects.
Ofcom said Richards had already stepped aside from all discussions and communication at all levels on matters where the BBC may have an interest.
