#65 Mark John Thompson

The World's Most Powerful People
#65 Mark John Thompson

Director-General
British Broadcasting Corporation
U.K.
Age: 52

Director-general for world's oldest and largest broadcast organization; BBC World News global reach estimated at more than 400 million people; relied upon for impartiality worldwide. State support insulates giant from vagaries of advertising market, but not editorial lapses: fined 95,000 pounds ($150,000) in 2007 for broadcasting game shows listeners could not win. More recently, Thompson under scrutiny regarding expense account amounting to 78,000 pounds ($130,000) over the last five years.