Mr Chernin, in an interview with Reuters, said James Murdoch was the best qualified of the candidates to succeed BSkyB chief executive Tony Ball.

He added US entertainment giant NewsCorp, led by Rupert Murdoch, had a good track record of picking bosses for its part-owned pay-TV firm.

"James is a remarkably talented executive. I don't think there is anybody in the pay television industry that has had the success he's had over the last three years," Mr Chernin said.

"We believe James is the best person to do this job...He either has or will be applying for the job."

Mr Chernin was speaking at the Mipcom television festival in Cannes where he received the Personality Of The Year award.

Talent search

The post of BSkyB chief executive became vacant when Tony Ball announced last month that he would step down after more than four years at the helm.

James Murdoch, 31, is widely tipped to succeed him, though his youth and lack of experience has raised eyebrows among BSkyB's institutional shareholders.

Mr Chernin said: "We have never done anything at BSkyB that isn't in the best interest of that company."

"We want nothing other than the best person to run that company."

James Murdoch sits on BSkyB's board, and currently runs Hong Kong-based Asian satellite TV station Star.

Head hunters

If he becomes BSkyB's chief, he will be the youngest-ever boss of a FTSE 100 company.

BSkyB has appointed an independent committee to search for a new CEO at the group in an effort to head off a fight with investors.

Three other BSkyB executives are thought to have applied, while head hunter group Spencer Stuart is sifting external candidates, reports claim.

The three internal candidates are finance director Martin Stewart, chief operating officer Richard Freudenstein, and marketing director Jon Florsheim.

Meanwhile, speculation was rife at the Mipcom festival that Walt Disney Television International President David Hulbert may also throw his hat into the ring.

Chernin, who is widely regarded as Rupert Murdoch's right-hand man, said he had no desire to move to a bigger role at another media company, despite the fact that Murdoch is likely to hand the reins to one of his sons.

Rupert Murdoch's older son Lachlan is widely seen as the most likely to succeed the Australian-born mogul at the head of NewsCorp.