The British government has pledged that the appointment of the next BBC chairman would be free of Downing Street influence.
The broadcaster's chairman, Mr Gavyn Davies, and director-general, Mr Greg Dyke, resigned last week after the Hutton report found BBC claims that the government had exaggerating the case for war in Iraq was unfounded.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport said today a scrutiny team would be put in place alongside the selection panel choosing the chairman to "oversee the process's integrity".
"It is to reassure everybody of the fairness of the process and restore confidence that the candidate will fulfil public confidence and be a good chairperson for the BBC," said a spokeswoman for the department.
Mr Dyke accused Mr Blair's government yesterday of "systematic bullying" and revealed that Prime Minster Tony Blair had written to him personally to complain about coverage of the Iraq war.
The Commissioner for Public Appointments, Dame Rennie Fritchie, will oversee the chairman's selection with a small team of senior cross-party political figures.
But media analyst Mr Damian Tambini, of Oxford University questioned the transparency of the process. "There are plenty of ways that could be done. One is to have a parliamentary cross-party committee interview and shortlist potential candidates and recommend them to the secretary of state. That way, the process of questioning the candidates would be in the public domain."
Names being touted in the media for the BBC post include former Conservative prime minister Mr John Major and heavyweight TV personalities such as David Attenborough.
Acting BBC chairman Lord Ryder said last week he would not put his name forward to take the job on a permanent basis.
Job adverts will soon be placed in the national press, and applicants interviewed and shortlisted. A candidate will be selected by the panel, recommended to ministers who in turn make the recommendation to the queen who makes the appointment.
In a separate development, the Timesnewspaper said today that Mr Dyke was considering a legal challenge to Lord Hutton's report.
PA