RTE HAS CONFIRMED the appointment of Kevin Bakhurst as its next director general.
Bakhurst is currently the group director of content and media policy at Ofcom, the UK media regulator.
In a statement, Bakhurst said: “I am honoured and delighted to take up the role of Director General. RTÉ plays a central role in Irish life and has brilliant people dedicated to delivering great and trusted content for audiences.
“RTÉ faces huge challenges and global competition,” he continued, “and I am confident we can deliver the ambitious change needed to remain valued and relevant to our audiences. I’m looking forward to getting started.”
Bakhurst will have a €306,000 salary.
He was previously managing director of News & Current Affairs at RTÉ and deputy director general from September 2012 to October 2016.
He was also a member of the RTÉ executive throughout this period and served as acting director general for a six-month period.
Media Minister Catherine Martin said in a statement: “I wish to congratulate Kevin Bakhurst on being appointed by RTÉ as its next Director General. “Mr. Bakhurst will take over this role at an important and challenging time for RTÉ.
“He has a proven track record of leadership at the highest levels and will bring a wealth of experience to the role.”
Bakhurst has also served as group director of broadcasting and online at Ofcom, where he was a member of Ofcom Board. His responsibilities included setting broadcast strategy and policy for UK broadcasting regulation, creating and implementing the framework for regulating the BBC and enforcing and developing editorial standards for UK broadcasters.
He spearheaded work on the future of UK public service broadcasting which has led to new government legislation.
Between 2006 and 2012, he held a range of senior editorial positions at the BBC, including controller of the BBC News Channel and deputy head of the BBC Newsroom from 2005. He was also a member of the BBC’s London 2012 Olympics Steering Committee.
In a statement RTÉ Chair Siún Ní Raghailligh said: “I’m delighted to welcome today’s announcement of the appointment of Kevin Bakhurst as the new Director General of RTÉ.
“The appointment follows a competitive recruitment process, with Kevin as the unanimous choice of the RTÉ Board. Kevin brings an exceptional breadth of industry experience, great leadership skills and a passionate commitment to the development of public service broadcasting in all its forms.
“Kevin’s appointment comes at time of opportunity and change for RTÉ. With my fellow Board members, I look forward to working with Kevin in our shared commitment to a thriving and financially sustainable RTÉ.”
There was controversy surrounding the interview process to replace RTÉ’s outgoing Director General Dee Forbes – the process is supposed to be confidential, but reports emerged of opposition between board members on who should be offered the job.
Ní Raghallaigh is to be questioned by the Oireachtas media committee this week about leaked details surrounding the delay in appointing a new director general.
An Post CEO David McRedmond was also in the running for the job, but a report by the Business Post revealed that some members of the RTÉ board were not convinced Bakhurst was the right person for the role.
McRedmond confirmed on Sunday that he was no longer in the running, and has stated that he has “no further interest in a role at RTÉ”. In a statement, he said that ongoing speculation about the upcoming appointment is “damaging” to RTÉ, An Post, and “those involved”.
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