Tim Brittin, former Google executive, is set to become the next director-general of the BBC as early as Wednesday, according to sources. The appointment comes as the broadcaster faces mounting challenges from streaming rivals like YouTube and Netflix, with its audience share declining. Brittin, 57, left his role as Google's president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at the end of 2024.

BBC insiders say Brittin was chosen for his management expertise at a critical juncture, though some former executives have questioned his lack of editorial experience. The BBC is grappling with a $10 billion defamation lawsuit from Donald Trump over a misleading edit of a Panorama documentary, which is heading to court in Florida next year. Brittin's pay will be publicly disclosed in the BBC's annual report, likely less than the nearly £550,000 earned by his predecessor Tim Davie.

Brittin's tenure will focus on modernizing the BBC's digital offerings and negotiating the next royal charter, which expires in 2027. The broadcaster aims to develop its iPlayer platform to compete with global streaming giants and push for a complete switch to digital broadcasting by the mid-2030s. While some BBC staff remain skeptical about hiring someone from a company that disrupted traditional media, others see Brittin as the steady, technocratic leader needed to navigate the corporation's complex political and technological landscape.