RTÉ commissioning editor Sheila de Courcy has been appointed cross-divisional head of children’s content, in what is a new position for RTÉ.
De Courcy, who has been a commissioning editor for young peoples programming since 2004, has been appointed by RTÉ director-general Noel Curran. In her new role, de Courcy will lead and advise on strategy, content and future policies for young peoples programming, across all platforms.
RTÉ has credited de Courcy with “revitalising” the format of its output for young people, with the introduction of RTÉjr, TRTÉ and TwoTube. De Courcy has championed cross-platform programming such as beActive’s ‘Aisling’s Diary’ and Macalla Teo’s ‘Life’s Like This’.
During her time as commissioning editor, de Courcy was responsible for commissioning shows like ‘OMG! Jedward’s Dream Factory’ from Tyrone Productions, and ‘The Importance of Being....Whatever’ by Accomplice Television.
Noel Curran, who took up his current position as director-general of RTÉ in 2011, said: “Our audience see, every day, the benefits of a group structure for news and sport. It maximises impact with the public across all of RTÉ and breaks down internal silos. It offers the opportunity not only to create content in the most agile and creative way possible, but it also allows for the smoothest distribution of that content. The scope of this structure for children’s output is particularly promising. There are other areas of our output that I believe would benefit from such a cross-divisional approach. It’s a model we will be considering closely elsewhere in RTÉ in 2013.”
As well as the establishment of the new cross-divisional head of children’s content position, RTÉ has announced it is developing a dedicated digital television channel with RTÉjr for its under 7’s audience, as well as a digital RTÉjr radio station and a mobile app with additional online outlets.
TRTÉ will also launch on RTÉ Digital Radio to cater for its 7-11 year old audience.
Commenting on her new appointment, de Courcy said: “Young audiences today are growing up in a digital age and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to develop innovative, child-centred multi-platform children’s content that will continue to put young people at the heart of RTÉ’s portfolio of services.”