abstract:Sir (Francis) Christopher Buchan Bland (born 29 May 1938) is a British businessman and politician. He was Deputy Chairman of the Independent Television Authority (1972), which was renamed the Independent Broadcasting Authority in the same year, and former Chairman of London Weekend Television (1984) and of the Board of Governors of the BBC (1996 to 2001), when he took up a position as Chairman of British Telecommunications plc.