Terrence Burns, a legislator-for-life, has been appointed by culture and sports minister Tessa Jowell as an adviser on the future of the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC). According to the Financial Times he will set up a panel of experts to make recommendations about the renewal of the charter that allows the broadcasting giant to function as a public service. The charter will expire in 2006.
Mr. Burns was formerly a senior civil servant and is now chairperson of the Abbey National bank. Ms. Jowell once described the BBC as one of Britain’s most loved and trusted institutions. She said that the government had not prejudged whether the charter, which allowed the BBC to collect £2.6bn annually from television and VCR owners, will be renewed.