The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has appointed Celene Craig as its new chief executive.
Ms Craig has been deputy chief executive of the BAI since its establishment in 2009 and previously worked with its media regulator predecessors, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and the Independent Radio and Television Commission.
Her appointment, which follows an independent competitive recruitment process, was approved by Minister for Media Catherine Martin. She succeeds Michael O’Keeffe, who retired from the position last year.
In her current role, Ms Craig has been responsible for a wide range of broadcasting and media-related policies and for advising on the implementation of legislative and policy changes in the audio-visual field at national and European level.
Most recently, she led the development of the BAI’s policy position on the implementation of the EU’s revised Audio-visual Media Services Directive and on the future regulation of harmful content on online platforms.
Under Government plans, the BAI will eventually be subsumed into a new regulator, the Media Commission. The multi-person commission will include an online safety commissioner as well as a broadcasting commissioner and on-demand audio-visual services commissioner.
‘Exciting time’
BAI chairperson designate Mary Curtis said Ms Craig would in the meantime work closely with the authority and the BAI’s executive team to manage the transition to the Media Commission and deliver the regulator’s strategic priorities.
“I am delighted to take up this position at an exciting time for media regulation in Ireland,” Ms Craig said.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues and those involved in media regulation to continue our current work, while ensuring we build capacity to allow us to meet the challenges and grasp the opportunities that lie ahead as the BAI moves into the Media Commission.”