The director general is the
chief executive
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization.
CEOs find roles in variou ...
and
editor-in-chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...
of public service broadcaster
Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). The current director general is
Kevin Bakhurst, who replaced
Dee Forbes in the role in 2023.
Appointment and role
The
RTÉ Board
The RTÉ Board is a body of up to twelve people which makes policy and guiding corporate direction for RTÉ, Ireland's state public broadcaster. The board membership includes the broadcaster's chief officer and one elected staff representative.
...
appoints the director general of RTÉ, who fulfils the roles of both chief executive officer and of editor-in-chief
Kevin Bakhurst disbanded the executive on 10 July 2023 in the wake of the
RTÉ secret payment scandal, which comprised the company's top management. It was replaced by an interim leadership team.
The director general both reports to the board and sits on it "in an ''ex officio'' capacity".
At this time, the director general serves a term of five years (reduced from seven years), at the expiry of which he/she may ask for an extension.
2023 controversy
In
June 2023, RTÉ admitted that it paid its top presenter
Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy (born 28 May 1973) is an Irish broadcaster. He currently presents the weekday mid-morning programme ''The Ryan Tubridy Show'' on Virgin Radio UK, as well as a weekend programme on Sundays.
His broadcasting career with RTÉ spanned ...
€345,000 more than publicly declared between 2017 and 2022.
Dee Forbes was suspended as Director General a day prior to the controversy, and ultimately resigned with immediate effect on 26 June.
Adrian Lynch, Director of Channels & Marketing, was appointed to the position of Deputy Director General;
he also assumed the role of interim Director General following the suspension and resignation of Forbes and prior to the planned arrival of
Kevin Bakhurst into that role in July 2023.
Directors general
References
External links
History of Irish Public Service Broadcasting - Timeline
{{DEFAULTSORT:Director General of RTE