Sir Howard Stringer to BBC?

The sexy but reptilian BBC Washington Correspondent Katty Kay made a rather curious remark in the "tell me something I don't know" section of the Chris Matthews program this Sunday past. She predicted somewhat ominously that Sir Howard Stringer, former head of CBS News, may become the next BBC Director General.

Half awake, sipping from my usual Sunday Kenyan blend of coffee, the idea was intriguing.

Sir Stringer's bio reads, in part:

"Prior to joining Sony, Mr. Stringer had a distinguished 30-year career as a journalist, producer and executive at CBS Inc. As President of CBS from 1988 to 1995, he was responsible for all the broadcast activities of the company including entertainment, news, sports, radio and television stations. Under his leadership, the CBS Television Network became the first network to rise from last to first place in one season. In 1993, in what became one of the most chronicled coups in television history, Mr. Stringer convinced David Letterman to bring his critically acclaimed late night show to CBS.

"From 1986 to 1988, Mr. Stringer served as President of CBS News, where he developed several new programs including the award-winning 48 HOURS, which continues as a primetime hit to this day. Prior to that, during his tenure as executive producer of the CBS EVENING NEWS with Dan Rather from 1981 to 1984, that program became the dominant network evening newscast of its day. From 1976 to 1981, while Mr. Stringer was executive producer of the CBS REPORTS documentary unit, it won virtually every major honor, including 31 Emmys, four Peabody Awards, three Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, three Christopher Awards, three Overseas Press Club Awards, an ABA Silver Gavel and a Robert F. Kennedy Grand Prize. Among his award-winning programs are THE ROCKEFELLERS, THE PALESTINIANS, A TALE OF TWO IRELANDS, THE DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES, THE BOAT PEOPLE, THE BOSTON GOES TO CHINA, THE FIRE NEXT DOOR, and THE CIA'S SECRET ARMY. "

The bookies, however, according to The Sun, also have David Liddiment, Tony Ball, David Elstein, Mark Thomson, Simon Shaps, Dawn Airey and Mark Byford as front runners.

The Corsair goes with Katty Kay on this one: Stringer is the most substantive candidate for the Beeb, which my father, Uganda's former Ambassador to the US, then Uganda's former Ambassador to the UN, listens to religiously.