UK government announces members of new BBC trust

LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) Patricia Hodgson, former head of the UK's Independent Television Commission and David Liddiment, a former director of programmes at ITV, were appointed today to the British Broadcasting Corporation's new 12-member trust.

The British government's Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell announced the appointment of the final eight members who will join the Chairman Michael Grade and three former BBC governors -- Dermot Gleeson, Jeremy Peat and Richard Tait, to form the trust.

They will replace the BBC board of governors from Jan 1, 2007 and oversee Britain's public broadcaster following an overhaul of the BBC governance system as part of the recent charter review.

The other newly appointed members include Vice-Chair Chitra Bharucha, who chairs a panel at the General Medical Council, vice president of the British Board of Film Classification Janet Lewis-Jones, and Rotha Johnston, a non executive director of Allied Irish Bank.

Economic consultant Diane Coyle, media consultant Alison Hastings and Mehmuda Mian Pritchard, a commissioner of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, were also appointed.

''During the charter review, licence fee payers told us they wanted to see a BBC that listened and responded to their views,'' Jowell said.

''As a result the Trust will oversee the BBC, consider the needs of a diverse audience, safeguard the BBC's independence and strive to ensure the corporation produces public services of the very highest quality.

''I am very pleased to announce the final appointments to the Trust. I'm sure this talented group of people, with their enthusiasm and expertise, will play a key role in ensuring that the BBC is driven by the views of licence fee payers.'' REUTERS PR PM2209