Donogh Diamond appointed editor of 'Prime Time'

RTÉ HAS appointed Donogh Diamond editor of Prime Time as part of the shake-up of its current affairs coverage prompted by the fallout of libel action over the A Mission to Prey programme.

Cillian DePaor, the former managing editor of news on RTÉ Television, has become RTÉ group secretary and director of compliance, replacing Adrian Moynes, who is leaving the organisation.

In a third appointment, Michael Good has been made deputy managing director of RTÉ News and Current Affairs, acting as number two to Kevin Bakhurst.

Mr Good will perform this role alongside his current job as managing editor of news on RTÉ Radio.

Mr Diamond has served as a reporter and presenter on Prime Time since 1997, having previously worked on business shows Marketplace and Current Account and as a reporter in the Irish Press group.

He will report to the recently appointed managing editor of current affairs, David Nally, who said Mr Diamond had been “a major and highly respected part” of the Prime Time team for 15 years.

Mr Diamond said he was “delighted and privileged” to be appointed to the role.

Under plans set to be implemented by Mr Bakhurst, Prime Time and The Frontline will share a larger studio from early 2013, while their formats will become looser and more varied, incorporating reports, interviews, panel discussions, audience participation and other segments.

It will also feature some of the output from the new RTÉ Investigations Unit, which was set up to spearhead investigative journalism across the organisation following the axing of the Prime Time Investigates strand.

An editor of the Investigations Unit will shortly be appointed, while Mr DePaor’s former role will be advertised internally.

Earlier this week RTÉ confirmed that Claire Byrne would become its third main current affairs presenter alongside Miriam O’Callaghan and Pat Kenny, while George Lee is to return to its screens as an economics and business expert.