RTÉ director general Cathal Goan is to step down after serving his full seven-year term, it was announced today.
In a statement today, the national broadcaster said its board will shortly beging the process of appointing a new director general after accepting Mr Goan's decision to stand down.
Speaking after today's board meeting, chairman Tom Savage said: "It is with regret that we accept Cathal Goan's decision not to seek an extension to his seven-year term as Director-General of RTÉ. Throughout his seven years Cathal retained the sensibilities of a programme maker. Despite the obvious managerial responsibilities of the role, he always understood that programmes and the audience are what RTÉ is here for.
Noting Mr Goan had held the post "during a period of enormous change", Mr Savage said Mr Goan had led the reorganisation of RTÉ "during a very difficult financial restructuring soon after taking office" and had been central to the development of RTÉ multimedia service.
Thanking him for his service, Mr Savage said: "Cathal remains passionate about and has a unique understanding of the special role that RTÉ has in Irish cultural life. He has left an indelible mark not just on RTÉ, but as the only person to have run both of Ireland's public service broadcasters, on Irish public service broadcasting as a whole."
RTÉ is to advertise the post over the next few weeks, and Mr Goan will stay in place until the process to choose his successor is completed.
Educated at UCD, Mr Goan initially worked with RTÉ Radio as a producer before moving to RTÉ TV in 1988. There he worked in current affairs before being appointed editor of Cúrsaí, the Irish current affairs and arts programme; in 1990 he was appointed editor, Irish language programming, before taking over as head of TG4.
