ABSTRACT
The appointment of Michael Checkland as Director General of the BBC on 26 February 1987 signalled the corporation’s intention to prioritise its news and current affairs output. In the face of government hostility, rapid technological change and increased competition from new entrants into the market the BBC, as the ‘cornerstone’ of public service broadcasting, was identifying journalism as the cornerstone of its operations. Shortly after Checkland’s appointment the BBC announced the formation of a News and Current Affairs Directorate, bringing the management of television and radio journalism within one structure. In March that year London Weekend Television’s director of programmes, John Birt, was appointed to run the Directorate. The importance of journalism to the BBC’s future was emphasised by the decision to grant Birt the additional title of Deputy DirectorGeneral.
