BBC News Appoints ITN Boss And Former NBC News President Deborah Turness As CEO

deadline.com:

ITN CEO Deborah Turness, a former NBC News President, has been appointed CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, replacing Fran Unsworth.Turness, who will be paid £400,000 ($540,000) per year, will be responsible for a team of 6,000 journalists that is shifting to digital and making hundreds redundant as part of a multimillion-pound savings drive.BBC Director General Tim Davie said she “brings a wealth of experience, insight, first-class editorial judgement, and a strong track record of delivery.”“She is a passionate advocate for the power of impartial journalism and a great believer in the BBC and the role we play, in the UK and globally,” he added.Turness said: “In the UK and around the world there has never been a greater need for the BBC’s powerful brand of impartial, trusted journalism.

It is a great privilege to be asked to lead and grow BBC News at a time of accelerated digital growth and innovation, when its content is reaching more global consumers on more platforms than ever before.”She joins from ITN, where she has headed up the ITV and Channel 4 News provider for just seven months following the departure of Anna Mallett to Netflix.Prior to ITN, Turness worked Stateside as President of NBC News and she is also a former Editor of ITV News.She will replace the retiring Unsworth, who held the role for three years, and will also hold a seat on the BBC Board.

Her job title differs from Director of News and Current Affairs Unsworth’s, which the BBC said is a reflection of its “ambition to continue to build the BBC’s global news brand and grow its news services.”The role is arguably the biggest in UK news and comes at a politically charged time for the BBC, which has been under pressure from all sides of the political