With Weekend World presenter Peter Jay, Birt contributed a series of three articles to The Times on the topic of television journalism.

Makers of news and documentary programmes were required to outline their finished product in writing before setting out with a camera crew.

During this period he revived the career of his old friend, the Liverpool singer Cilla Black, who in due course became the highest-paid female performer on UK television.

[6] As Director-General, Birt was tasked with securing the BBC's future at a time of rapid technical, cultural and economic changes in world broadcasting.

[8][9] Birt asserted that the changes made the BBC more agile, more competitive and allowed it to expand beyond its traditional broadcasting services, but remaining licence-fee funded.

The comparison originated from playwright Dennis Potter, who labeled Birt a "croak-voiced Dalek" in his MacTaggart Lecture delivered in August 1993 at the Edinburgh International Television Festival.

[15] Journalist Mark Lawson wrote at the time that Potter's "tendency towards unfocused vitriol and noisy self-examination made his contribution easily swattable by the BBC's damage controllers".

[3] Many others opposed Birt, his methods and his reforms, including the journalists John Tusa, Mark Tully and Charles Wheeler, and news correspondent Kate Adie.

[25] Peter Ainsworth, the Conservative shadow Culture Secretary, questioned whether this was a generic ban on mentioning private issues or specific to Mandelson.

[26] Birt was brought into Number 10 to lead the development of long-term strategy for the government on key areas of public policy.

Jeremy Heywood, Blair's principal private secretary, said: "He liked the way that John was willing to get right down into the data and understand the evidence, and come up with a real sense that you could do things in a totally different way.

"[27] Birt supervised the development of long-term strategy on drugs, health, crime reduction, education, transport and London.

[32] Many saw Birt's role in government as controversial, since as a special advisor, rather than a civil servant, he was not formally obliged to face questions from House of Commons select committees.

Blair asked Birt to help him define his main domestic policy priorities so he could develop precise plans for the period after the 2005 election.

A special project team to develop the third term was led by Birt and Turnbull and reported regularly to the prime minister.

[34] From 2006 to 2010, he was an adviser for consulting firm Capgemini on strategic issues, with a focus on the public sector and its Telecom, Media and Entertainment practice.

Birt is an active cross-bencher in the House of Lords, speaking out in 2011 and 2012 in favour of government's proposed Health and Social Care Bill.

[42] Birt's special interests include the Media/ Broadcasting/ Communications Industry, Climate Change/ Environment, Criminal Justice and Education[43] In 2013 Birt voiced his opinion to the House of Lords on the Gay Marriage bill stating "this bill goes the whole hog and rightly allows gay couples, if they wish, to make the powerful statements of love and commitment that marriage proclaims.

"[44] In 2014 Birt showed his support for the assisted dying legislation, in the House of Lords debate, in which participants were evenly split.

[47] Returning to his earlier career on 26 August 2005, Birt delivered his second MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh International Television Festival.

Instead of playing it safe and avoiding mistakes, he said, Birt transformed output and embraced the internet, and rebuilt relationships with government, business and the public.

Hewlett acknowledged that many of Birt's reforms were unpopular, but said that without them, "it is questionable whether the BBC would exist in anything like its present capable and competitive form, or indeed would have retained the huge affection of audiences".