Gavin Allen, an assistant editor on Radio 4’s Today, has been appointed deputy editor of the flagship news programme, a role that has been vacant for more than six months.
Allen, who joined the programme two-and-a-half years ago, is currently sitting in for editor Kevin Marsh, who is away on holiday.
Allen, 34, joined the BBC as a news trainee in 1995 after threeanda-half years on the East Anglia Daily Times newspaper.
Prior to working on Today, he also did short stints on television news including Newsnight and the BBC’s One O’clock News as well as working on live political programmes at Millbank.
As deputy editor, Allen’s main role will be to co-ordinate the programme’s night team. “How we work is unusual, in terms of having a day and a night shift,” Allen said. “My job will be to see if we are working most efficiently and most effectively, both in terms of output and externally.”
It is understood there will be no replacement assistant editor.
Allen’s appointment comes soon after Marsh’s own assumption of responsibility for all of Radio 4’s news output.
Marsh now chairs a Radio 4 editorial committee, comprising the heads of daily bulletins including The World at One, PM, The World Tonight and Sunday morning current affairs show Broadcasting House.
By Wale Azeez
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