ONE of the partners in Gaelic language TV channel, BBC ALBA, has welcomed two new directors to its board.
Jo Macdonald, a freelance writer and researcher, and David Brew, a governor of Robert Gordon University, have been appointed by broadcasting regulators, Ofcom, to the board of MG ALBA, the Scottish Government-supported body responsible for funding Gaelic programming.
The appointments are for four years.
Says Ofcom: “Jo MacDonald is a native Gaelic speaker from the island of Lewis. During a career spent largely with the BBC she worked at senior levels in radio, television and online. Before leaving the BBC at the end of 2008 she was managing editor of BBC Gàidhlig. Now working as a freelance writer, researcher, translator and broadcaster, Jo is a member of An Seotal’s Gaelic terminology panel and a member of The Sorley Maclean Trust.”
It continues: “David Brew is a Gaelic learner. He is a governor of Robert Gordon University and an adjudicating panel member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland. A senior civil servant until he retired from the Scottish Government last year, he was responsible from 2004 to 2006 for promoting the development of Gaelic, establishing Bòrd na Gàidhlig and sponsoring Gaelic-medium education. His subsequent responsibilities included community land ownership, crofting reform and fisheries management. He is also a former chief executive of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.”
An existing board member – who has been on the MG ALBA board since April four years ago – has been re-appointed. Alasdair MacCaluim is Gaelic Development officer with the Scottish Parliament.
The appointments were approved by the Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore MP, supported by Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, following an independent appointment and selection process undertaken by Ofcom, in Scotland.
In December, Ofcom announced the appointment of Maggie Cunningham – a former head of BBC Radio Scotland – as the new chair of MG ALBA from the beginning of July.
