FIRST OFF . . .

The British Broadcasting Corp. named accountant Michael Checklund as its new director general to succeed Alasdair Milne, who resigned last month after a stormy five years heading the organization. Checklund, 50, took over as acting director general on Jan. 29 when Milne stepped down after a controversial tenure marked by the ruling Conservative Party’s accusations of inaccurate and biased television news coverage. Checklund had been Milne’s deputy. He joined the BBC in 1964 and will take charge of a staff of 30,000 and be responsible for the BBC’s two national TV networks and its domestic and external radio services. Checklund, who is to serve a five-year term, was one of six candidates for the position.