Graf becomes chair of broadband group

The government's broadband advisory group has selected former Trinity Mirror chief executive Philip Graf to drive its broadband agenda.

The Broadband Stakeholders Group (BSG), which advises the government on the roll-out and take-up of broadband services, appointed Graf as chairman earlier this week. He replaces the chairman of broadband telecoms company Easynet plc, Keith Todd, who had chaired the BSG since 2002.

It is thought that Graf has been brought in to bring broadcasters and the government together to discuss the agenda for broadband content. He has close relations with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport after reviewing BBC Online last year.

Graf is calling for open talks on broadband content and Ofcom's PSB discussions to avoid "the nation becoming a high risk, low value economy". He said: "Keith [Todd] established a knowledge network where people from across the broadband chain can discuss without vested interests how we can develop broadband across the industry in a neutral way."

The BSG feels that Ofcom's PSP proposition, which could take the form of a free to access broadband public service content provider, is particularly promising. Graf said it would be essential to examine what role an existing PSB, such as C4, would play in the development of a PSP designed to encourage new competition.

BSG chief executive Antony Walker said: "Everything should be on the table, including looking at the implications of a broadband only PSP. PVRs [personal video recorders] and on-demand services are growing rapidly. If PSP is to be a face of innovation it needs to be discussed today."

The BSG was on Michael Howard and Oliver Letwin's£4bn cull of red tape list, despite the fact that only a third of the funding comes from public funds.