Declan Wilson has been named the new Head of TV and Online News for BBC England.
Based in Yorkshire and working out of MediaCityUK, he will oversee BBC England’s news operations, including radio and the 18.30 regional news opt-outs.
This is a new role, created as part of an overhaul of the BBC’s services in England. It means there is now a single person with editorial responsibility for all of BBC England’s news content online and on television.
“I’m excited by this new role and believe passionately in the power and importance of regional journalism,” he said.
“The BBC’s regional TV news service remains remarkably popular and has been incredibly resilient in the face of big shifts in how people consume news. That’s testament to the hard work of our teams in newsrooms across England who make informative and engaging journalism that resonates with audiences. I want to build on that success. Our online content also reaches big audiences while being distinctive and that’s something I want to grow.”
Wilson began his BBC career 21 years ago at the News Channel, before becoming a field producer in the UK and overseas. He led coverage of the Shannon Matthews case, the Whitehaven shootings, Hillsborough Inquests and the Manchester Arena bombing. Prior to this, he worked for local newspapers.