Sulzberger Expresses Support for Mark Thompson, Incoming Chief Executive

Mark Thompson, the incoming chief executive of The New York Times Company, who has been under scrutiny this week in connection with a burgeoning scandal at the BBC, received enthusiastic support Thursday from Arthur Sulzberger Jr., the chairman of the company and publisher of The New York Times.

In a letter to the Times staff to discuss third-quarter financial results, Mr. Sulzberger said he and the board of directors believed Mr. Thompson possessed “high ethical standards and is the ideal person to lead our Company.”

It was the first public comment by Mr. Sulzberger about Mr. Thompson's status since it was revealed that a BBC investigation into sexual abuse by one of the BBC's former television stars was canceled while Mr. Thompson was director general of the British broadcaster. Mr. Thompson has said he did not know about the investigative segment, had no role in canceling it, and had not heard any of the suspicions about the television host, Jimmy Savil e. Parliament and the British police are looking into claims that there were as many as 200 victims of abuse by Mr. Savile, who died last year.

In his letter, Mr. Sulzberger sought to ease growing concern within the Times about the future role of Mr. Thompson, who is scheduled to start on Nov. 12. Saying he wanted “to address a topic that has been on many people's minds,” Mr. Sulzberger said that Mr. Thompson had provided a detailed account of the BBC situation and that he was satisfied Mr. Thompson “played no role in the cancellation of the segment.”

“We are all looking forward to that day when he takes the helm,” Mr. Sulzberger wrote, adding that The Times has been and would continue to pursue the Savile story aggressively and objectively.