Closed-shop race to be next controller of Radio 4

Who'll follow the revered Mark Damazer as controller of Radio 4 ? It's an influential, special and specially important job, and the rumour mill has over a dozen names churning away. But hang on… from George Entwistle at BBC Knowledge down, they're all broadcasting people. Is that really necessary? Remember when a Times political editor (Sir Ian Trethowan) could become BBC director general; when Alastair Hetherington , editor of the Guardian , could move to head BBC Scotland; when a woman's editor at the Guardian (Liz Forgan) could be recruited as number two at Channel 4 and then become managing director at BBC Network Radio? See how Rod Liddle from Today has carved out a ripe print career for himself? Shouldn't there be a few non-BBC, non-broadcasting people on that long, fat list? Danny Finkelstein, Anne Spackman, Matthew d'Ancona, Georgina Henry, Jonathan Freedland? Not possible in a "them and us" media world, you say. Then ask yourself: why?