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BBC appoints 5Live’s Louisa Compton as new editor for Radio 1 Newsbeat

By Press Gazette

The BBC has appointed Radio 5Live's Louisa Compton as the new editor of Radio 1 Newsbeat following the departure of its long-standing editor Rod McKenzie.
Compton is currently daytime editor at 5Live and will become responsible for all of Radio 1's news output as well as that of sister digital station 1Xtra.
She has been at 5Live since 2005, edited the Victoria Derbyshire programe for five years, and previously worked at Three Counties Radio in Luton.
Compton takes the Newsbeat role after Rod McKenzie was moved to become local radio development editor in the wake of an investigation into allegations of bullying.
A source close to McKenzie told The Independent in January: “[McKenzie] strongly rejects these claims and maintains that his behaviour is entirely in keeping with a pressurised news environment.”
The BBC said at the time: “We do not discuss internal staff or disciplinary issues.”
On her new appointment, Compton said: "I hope to build further on its reputation for strong original journalism tailored for a youth audience. I’m also looking forward to exploring new ways of innovating and making an impact.”
BBC head of news programmes Ceri Thomas said: "The next few years will be some of the most exciting Newsbeat and 1Xtra News have ever seen as they really make their mark in the mobile and social worlds alongside their radio output.
"Louisa is one of the outstanding journalists of her generation in the BBC: a great story-getter and programme-maker, and a genuine innovator. Newsbeat and 1Xtra News are in the best hands we could hope to find.”

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