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News Summary: Thompson starts as NY Times CEO

Published: November 12, 2012 Comment on this article

FIRST DAY: New York Times Co. CEO Mark Thompson started his job Monday amid a widening scandal at his former employer, the BBC.

CEO BACKGROUND: Thompson, 55, left the British Broadcasting Corp. in September after serving eight years as its director-general. He has faced questions over a decision by the BBC's "Newsnight" program last December to shelve an investigation into child sexual-abuse allegations against renowned BBC children's television host Jimmy Savile.

photo - In this image released by the UK Broadcasters Pool, Mark Thompson, newly named CEO of The New York Times Co., arrives at the paper's offices, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012 in New York. Thomson, the former BBC director general was hired in August and hailed as someone who could help the company generate new revenue at a time when print publications are suffering from the loss of readers and advertisers. But in recent months, Thompson has faced questions over a decision by the BBC’s “Newsnight” program to shelve an investigation into child sexual-abuse allegations against renowned British television host Jimmy Savile. (AP Photo/UK Broadcasters Pool)

In this image released by the UK Broadcasters Pool, Mark Thompson, newly named CEO of The New York Times Co., arrives at the paper's offices, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012 in New York. Thomson, the former BBC director general was hired in August and hailed as someone who could help the company generate new revenue at a time when print publications are suffering from the loss of readers and advertisers. But in recent months, Thompson has faced questions over a decision by the BBC’s “Newsnight” program to shelve an investigation into child sexual-abuse allegations against renowned British television host Jimmy Savile. (AP Photo/UK Broadcasters Pool)

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SAYS UNAWARE: Thompson has said he only became aware of the investigative report after speaking with a BBC journalist at a cocktail party long after it had been canceled. When he inquired later about its cancellation, he said executives told him it had been terminated for journalistic reasons.