Two Gaelic-speakers to head programmes at BBC Scotland

Radio Scotland head Maggie Cunningham has been appointed joint head of programmes and services at BBC Scotland with Donalda MacKinnon who has been running Gaelic and children’s programmes.

The appointment of the two Gaelic-speaking women will be seen as a victory for a group of media figures dubbed the Gaelic Mafia by industry insiders, who have noted the career success of many speakers of the language from the Highlands and Islands in Scottish broadcasting. Cunningham and Mackinnon are second in seniority to another associated with this group BBC Scotland controller Ken McQuarrie, also a Gaelic speaker.

The pair will have wide-ranging responsibilities in their new role, overseeing regional and network television in Scotland as well as radio and online activities, although the exact nature will be confirmed when the BBC declares its public service intentions in December.

Although there are differences in responsibilities, the new post effectively fills the gap left by Colin Cameron, former controller of network development, BBC nations and regions, who left last month to join Lion TV Scotland. Cameron’s role was to oversee network development north of the border as well as in Wales and Northern Ireland.