UTV IRELAND HAVE poached a current editor of RTÉ’s Six One and Nine News to be the head of news at the soon to be launched broadcaster.

After already recruiting former RTÉ stalwart Pat Kenny to their books, UTV Ireland have now added Marcus Lehnen to head up their current affairs programming.

Lehnen has been at RTÉ for the past ten years having spent a further 15 years working at the BBC in London

His capture represents a further sign of UTV Ireland’s intentions to muscle in on the news market. The station, which is slated to begin broadcasting on 1 January 2015, has so far has two confirmed news programmes, Ireland Live and Ireland Live at 10.

“Marcus is an excellent addition to the UTV Ireland team,” head of channel Mary Curtis said today. “His exemplary journalism career includes coverage of major national and international events and the management of news programmes and news teams.”

Lehnen himself applauded UTV Ireland’s ambition as he announced his departure from the national broadcaster.

This is a very exciting time for the broadcast industry in Ireland. UTV is an excellent media group and the news and current affairs plans for UTV Ireland are fresh and ambitious. I am delighted to be joining the channel.

Managing director of UTV Ireland Michael Wilson described the hiring of Lehnen as “a great appointment” saying that the station is “recruiting some of the most talented people in the Irish broadcasting industry”.

UTV Ireland’s news output will be produced from offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick and supplemented by UTV’s facilities in Belfast and Derry.

Read: UTV Ireland’s schedule is starting to take shape… >

Read: UTV boss expects to move into profit by end of 2015… (no pressure then, Pat) >

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