Matt Brittin Named BBC Director-General: Who Is the Ex-Google Boss Taking on the Toughest Job in British Media?

Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Matt Brittin , formerly Google’s EMEA president, has been named the new director-general at the BBC . Rumors began to spread earlier in the week after a report in The Times , with Brittin’s appointment formally announced by the public broadcaster on Wednesday. He’ll start on May 18, taking over from Tim Davie, who said he’d be resigning after countless editorial blunders in the role — including a particularly explosive Trump row — in November. The role of director-general at the BBC is considered one of the toughest jobs in the British media, responsible for not only the company’s 20,000+ employees, but also navigating intense scrutiny from parliament and the public in an age when the mainstream media is fighting to maintain trust and respect. That person is in charge of the U.K.’s number one media brand, a company that spans film, television, streaming, and BBC News, which boasts a daily audience of up to 20 million people. Davie’s annual salary totalled over half a million pounds. Related Stories Music British Singer Duffy to Share Kidnap and Sexual Assault Story After Withdrawing From the Public Eye in New Disney+ Doc TV Nordic Power Player: NRK Drama Chief Marianne Furevold-Boland on 'SKAM,' Risk-Taking and Why TV Needs More Courage One of the most difficult parts of the job is fielding the barrage of criticism in the wake of scandal, something the BBC has been plagued by in recent years, chiefly: The criminal conviction of ex-BBC News anchor Huw Edwards on child sex abuse image charges, inappropriate behavior allegations against former MasterChef star Gregg Wallace , claims of bullying on the set of hit series Strictly Come Dancing , the livestreaming of “death, death to the IDF” chants from musical act Bob Vylan at Glastonbury , an ed...