05/02/2008

Hard on the heels of receiving the go-ahead to be set up, a planned digital TV channel dedicated to Gaelic language programming has announced the second of two key appointments.

With Alan Esslemont already picked as head of content at the Gaelic Digital Service - to be run jointly by the BBC and the Scottish Government-funded Gaelic Media Service - the post of ‘head of service’ is to go to Margaret Mary Murray, the current Head of Gaelic at BBC Scotland.

The “go-ahead” was granted last week by the BBC Trust, on behalf of the licence fee payer, since half of the annual £21 million running cost of the new channel will be coming from the BBC.

Esslemont has been recruited from the Irish language station TG4, where he was director of television.

Says Murray : “I am delighted to be taking up this important role in the development of the Gaelic Digital Service. I have worked closely with the GMS on the joint proposals which were presented to the BBC Trust. Now I am looking forward to building on that partnership to deliver a service which will be of benefit to audiences of Gaelic and non-Gaelic speakers."

Still to be appointed is an executive editor, who will run the in-house Gaelic production at BBC Scotland.

As ‘head of service’, Murray - employed by the BBC - will be responsible for the creative leadership and editorial management of the Gaelic Digital Service content across TV, online and radio.

Meanwhile, the head of content - employed by the Gaelic Media Service - will be responsible for the delivery of GMS-funded content for the Gaelic Digital Service and for the television commissioning and scheduling strategy.

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