RTÉ HAS ANNOUNCED the appointment of Kevin Bakhurst as its new managing director of news and current affairs.
Bakhurst is the current deputy head of the BBC Newsroom and controller of the BBC News Channel. He will take up the position in September and will also sit on RTÉ executive board, the State broadcaster announced this afternoon.
The Cambridge graduate will replace Ed Mulhall who took a retirement package in April following the controversy over the defamation of Fr Kevin Reynolds by the now-defunct Prime Time Investigates programme.
Bakhurst has been working to create the BBC multimedia newsroom and is currently involved in delivering BBC News’ move to central London as well overseeing aspects of its London Olympics coverage.
He has previously worked as editor of BBC’s flagship news bulletin the Ten O’Clock News winning numerous BAFTA and Royal Television Society awards between 2003 and 2005.
“Kevin has huge and varied experience, a proven track record and key leadership skills. He also has a keen sense of how News delivery is changing across all media,” RTÉ Director General Noel Curran said today in a statement.
Bakhurst said in a statement that it was an “amazing opportunity” to take up a job that was one of very few he would have considered leaving the BBC for.
He said: “It’s an amazing opportunity to lead such a formidable team at RTÉ News and Current Affairs who rightly have a national and worldwide reputation for their journalism.
“This is one of the very few jobs that I would have considered leaving BBC News to do. I have had a tremendous time at BBC News and would like to thank my colleagues and teams there – in particular on the BBC News Channel – for their terrific work, commitment and support.”
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