The chief executive of the Special Olympics, Ms Mary Davis, and the journalist John Waters are among those appointed to the new Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).
The Minister for Communications, Mr Ahern, has reappointed the barrister Mr Conor Maguire as chairman. Mr Maguire is also the chairman of the Bar Council. In total 10 people have been been appointed or reappointed.
The key function of the BCI is to license radio and television services. Some of the decisions of the last board proved controversial, particularly one to withdraw a radio licence, following oral hearings, from North West Radio.
The BCI board usually exists for five years, but Mr Ahern said in this instance it would break up once the new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland was established under statute. This new authority will take over the role and functions of the BCI and certain regulatory functions from the RTÉ Authority.
Despite this, Mr Ahern said, the commission was taking over at an exciting time in Irish broadcasting.
"The independent radio sector and TV3 are now well established. They provide a separate voice and view of Ireland and the world," he said.
The following people were not reappointed: Ms Olive Braiden, member of the Human Rights Commission; Mr Colum Kenny, lecturer in DCU; Mr Frank Masterson, chartered accountant; Mr Caimin Jones, public relations consultant; and Ms Lenore Mrkwicka, a rights commissioner, Labour Relations Commission.
Apart from Mr Maguire, the following were reappointed: Ms Vivienne Jupp, senior partner with Accenture; Mr John O'Brennan, chairman of South Dublin Community Radio; Ms Mary Kerrigan, journalist and barrister; and Mr Joe Griffin, director of Ashfield College.
The new members, apart from Mr Waters and Ms Davis, are Ms Angela Kerins, chairwoman of the National Disability Authority; Ms Kay McGuinness, director of the Southern Advertising Agency, and Mr Tom Collins, director of the Dundalk Institute of Technology.