Digital journalism is being placed at the centre of the BBC’s daily output, following 4 senior appointments in its News and Current Affairs team.
It’s part of a major restructure of BBC News, which was announced in July, creating 3 new departments – 24/7 and Digital News; Daily News Programmes; and Current Affairs.
Gavin Allen has been named controller of Daily News Programmes, taking responsibility for running the teams behind Breakfast, 5live, BBC One bulletins, Radio 4 and World Service English news. Currently the news editor, he’s previously been deputy editor of the Today programme, editor of The Politics Show and editor of political news gathering at Millbank.
Head of newsroom, Mary Hockaday takes up the role of controller, World Service English, which has a global audience of 42m. Her role be one of “editor, ambassador and champion” taking creative responsibility for the network’s straegy.
Jon Zilkha, currently head of the business and economic unit becomes controller of 24/7. This merges live and digital news services in the newsroom and means he will oversee the BBC News Channel and BBC World News, BBC online and digital services in English, plus Newsbeat.
Finally Fiona Campbell has been named head of Current Affairs, overseeing output on File On 4 and Assignment on radio and Panorama, Newsnight, This World and HARDtalk on television. At the moment she is acting head of documentaries and features for BBC Three.
