The European Broadcast Union (EBU) has appointed Noel Curran to the role of Director General.
Curran joins the EBU after stepping down from the position of Director General, Managing Director of Television and Editor of Current Affairs of Ireland’s RTÉ.
He will replace Ingrid Deltenre, who has led the EBU since 2010, and spoke at IBC2016 on the impact of Brexit and the Digital Single Market initiative.
Curran is expected to take up his new role at the EBU at the beginning of September.
EBU President Jean-Paul Philippot said: “Noel was the candidate of choice in what was an extremely strong list of candidates.
”He impressed us with his sound public service values, his operational experience and his understanding of the public service media ecosystem within today’s rapidly evolving media environment.
”His leadership experience as Director General of RTÉ will be invaluable as the EBU moves towards the next chapter in its history. I am confident he will do a very good job for the EBU, for all our Members, and for public service media,” Philippot said.
Curran was appointed at RTÉ in 2011 and oversaw the restructure of RTÉ following the 2008 financial crisis and positioned RTÉ as a robust digital media organisation.
Curran is an award-winning journalist and a long-time advocate of public service media.
Replacing Curran at RTÉ as Director General is, Dee Forbes former President and Managing Director of Discovery Networks Northern Europe.
Commenting on his new role, Curran said: “There is now, more than ever, a compelling case for what public service media does, and what the Members of the European Broadcasting Union do, day in, day out.
”The EBU represents some of the finest media organisations, content-makers and journalists in the world” - Noel Curran
”The position of DG is a huge honour, and I will work with the membership to seize every opportunity and to move ahead with the changes necessary to secure the future of public service media.
”I look forward to working with Jean-Paul, with the EBU team and with our Members, from all regions in the EBU, to serve our audiences’ needs,” Curran said.
PROFILE
Noel Curran
European Broadcasting Union, Director General
Curran attended Trinity College, Dublin, and graduated from Dublin City University in both European Studies and Communications, specialising in national and international broadcasting policy.
He was Managing Director of RTÉ Television before becoming Director General of RTÉ in 2010.
Responsible for four television services, nine radio services, and Ireland’s biggest digital media products, Noel led RTÉ at a challenging time of editorial and financial crisis, bringing the organisation back to financial surplus and championing the return of award-winning investigative journalism.
Overseeing RTÉ’s substantial commercial trading arms, he positioned RTÉ for digital transformation despite financial constraints.
As an editor and producer, Curran’s programming won numerous awards for journalism and he was Executive Producer on a range of live television events, including the Eurovision Song Contest in 1997, general election coverage, live entertainment series and factual programming.
He is Adjunct Professor of Journalism at Dublin City University.
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