Cunningham Appointed New Chair of BBC ALBA

The Gaelic-language TV channel, BBC ALBA, has appointed a former head of BBC Radio Scotland as its new chair.

Maggie Cunningham has been appointed by broadcasting regulators, Ofcom, to succeed Alasdair Morrison, whose four-year term in office is coming to an end.

The appointment was approved by the Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore, MP, supported by Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Michael Russell MSP, following an independent appointment and selection process undertaken by Ofcom in Scotland.

BBC ALBA is a joint partnership between the Scottish Government-funded Gaelic mediaservice, MG ALBA, and the BBC. It became available on Freeview in June.

Says Ofcom: “Cunningham is currently an executive and leadership coach with Perform2Succeed. She was Head of Radio Scotland from 2000 to 2004 and Joint Head of Programmes and Services, BBC Scotland, from 2005 to 2009. She has carried out a number of other roles with BBC Scotland since 1979 including as Secretary supporting the Broadcasting Council for Scotland. She is a fluent Gaelic speaker.”

Cunningham is quoted in an Ofcom statement announcing her appointment, as saying: “I am delighted to be appointed and look forward to working with the board of MG ALBA to build upon Alasdair’s considerable contribution over the past three-and-a-half years which has seen the launch of BBC ALBA.”

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