Thompson starts as NY Times CEO amid BBC scandal
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New York Times Co. CEO Mark Thompson is starting his job on Monday amid a widening scandal at his former employer, the BBC.
When the Times hired him in August, Thompson was 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.
In recent months, 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 British television host Jimmy Savile, who died last year. That decision was made while Thompson was head of the BBC.
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Thompson's successor as the BBC's top executive, George Entwistle, resigned on Saturday after its news magazine wrongly implied that a former British politician sexually abused a child.
After the Savile scandal broke, Times Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. sent the company's staff a letter that said he was satisfied Thompson had no role in the decision to scrap the investigative segment on Savile.
In a memo to staff on Monday, Sulzberger welcomed Thomson and said his experience "will be of great value to our company." He did not mention the BBC scandal.