BBC Trust faces government probe

Sir David Clementi said the BBC "requires effective governance and regulation"

Details of an independent review into how the BBC is governed and regulated have been announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Sir David Clementi, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, will chair the review and has been asked to submit a report in early 2016.

Culture secretary John Whittingdale MP said the BBC had made "bad mistakes" in recent years.

He said there was "a widespread view... its governance structure needs reform."

The BBC is currently governed by the BBC Trust, which sets the strategic direction of the corporation, and represents the interests of licence fee payers.

The BBC executive board is responsible for the operational management of the BBC; while media regulator Ofcom rules on the BBC's adherence to the broadcasting code.

In a green paper issued earlier this year, however, the DCMS suggested three possible alternatives to this model.

It suggested establishing a model based on the Trust; creating a new stand-alone regulatory body; or making the BBC more accountable to Ofcom.

The review will form part of the renewal of the BBC's Royal Charter, which the government hopes to achieve before the current charter expires at the end of 2016.

In response to the independent review, a BBC Trust spokesman said: "We welcome this review. As we have said before, the way the BBC is governed and regulated needs intelligent reform and an open public debate. We look forward to working with Sir David Clementi."