The body responsible for ensuring high quality television programming in Gaelic has made two new board appointments.
MG Alba, the operating name of the Gaelic Media Service, is partnered with the BBC to produce BBC Alba which launched in 2018.
John Morrison has been appointed as the new chair and will begin his four-year term on 1 January 2023. A native Gaelic speaker from North Uist, John founded Morrison Media in 2012, a communications company that offers strategic public relations, public affairs and media training consultancy services.
Prior to this he was a journalist with the BBC for over 20 years where he held a number of high-profile roles including Europe correspondent and Chief Political correspondent while he has worked on a range of Gaelic programmes including Reothart and Eòrpa. He continues to present the weekly sports programme Spòrs na Seachdain on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal
Mr Morrison's non-executive experience includes ten years (2013 - 2022) on the Board of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and three years as the Scotland representative on the UK Public Affairs Board of the PRCA, a position he has now stood down from.
Ingrid Henderson will join the Board from 12 December 2022 for a term of four years, serving as the Bòrd na Gàidhlig nominee. Based in Lochaber and involved in many aspects of traditional music, Ingrid has nearly thirty years of experience performing, teaching, writing and recording in the Gaelic arts field and currently runs Old Laundry Productions, a recording studio and record label based in Glenfinnan.
Ingrid also brings with her experience in both broadcasting and education, having served as a musical director on BBC ALBA’s flagship Ceilidh na Bliadhn’ Ùire amongst other programmes while she has taught at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music. She currently chairs the Glenfinnan Community Facilities SCIO
Both appointments have been agreed by Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills following an independent selection process by Ofcom in Scotland.
She said: "I would like to congratulate John and Ingrid on their appointment to the board. I am confident that their background and extensive bank of experience will be a huge benefit to MG ALBA in helping it build on the excellent work of recent years."
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