Who’s the BBC’s new political editor?

The BBC has appointed Chris Mason as its new political editor following a drawn-out recruitment course of wherein a women-only shortlist was scrapped by executives.

Mason, who presently hosts BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions?, has been on the BBC for twenty years and beforehand labored on the BBC’s regional desk at Westminster and as a political reporter for BBC Radio 5 Stay.

He replaces Laura Kuenssberg, who stepped down earlier this yr and who will take over in Andrew Marr’s Sunday morning slot in September.

“What an amazing privilege to tackle what, for me, is probably the most extraordinary job in British broadcasting and journalism,” Mason mentioned. “I clamber upon the shoulders of giants like Laura, Nick Robinson and Andrew Marr with a smattering of trepidation and a shedload of pleasure and enthusiasm.

“To steer the very best group of journalists within the enterprise on the very best information patch of the lot is one thing I might by no means even dared dream of. I can not wait to get began.”

Mason will take up the position in Might, following the native elections, and can proceed to host Any Questions? till the summer time. 

Jonathan Munro, interim director of BBC Information, mentioned Mason “has been an distinctive correspondent in a rare time for British politics”, including: “His calm, incisive evaluation and signature candid type have been invaluable for audiences when navigating advanced tales.”

Kuenssberg tweeted: “Large congrats and welcome to the very best every day job within the enterprise.”

Lengthy course of

Mason first emerged because the favorite for the influential job in early April. The 41-year-old is “extensively appreciated throughout the BBC”, The Guardian mentioned on the time, however didn’t initially apply because it was seen as a task for a extra skilled journalist.

Folks with data of the recruitment course of instructed The Sunday Instances that BBC bosses had inspired him to use after the “protracted” appointments course of “descended into farce”.

Munro and Katy Searle, its govt editor for politics, had “emphasised throughout interviews that they needed a journalist who will produce exclusives”, the paper added. However “Mason will not be identified for giant scoops”.

“They mentioned they needed somebody who breaks tales however I believe they’ve realised they really want a smart statesman who is nice at analysing occasions, and Chris will do brilliantly at that,” a senior political journalist instructed the paper. “This seems like a second of self-realisation for the BBC, that they’ll’t be that daring.”

The information of his appointment additionally comes simply weeks after the BBC reportedly drew up an all-female shortlist for the six-figure wage position, with two journalists from Sky Information and ITV considered the entrance runners for the highest job.

Based on The Instances, executives on the broadcaster carried out second-round interviews on 18 March with the intention of asserting a substitute for Kuenssberg on the similar time she introduced her transfer to what was Andrew Marr’s Sunday morning present.

A number of sources instructed the paper’s media correspondent Jake Kanter that Sophy Ridge, who presents Sky Information’s flagship Sunday morning politics present, and Anushka Asthana, ITV Information’s deputy political editor, have been the 2 favourites for the influential position.