Amol Rajan appointed as BBC media editor

The former editor of the Independent newspaper Amol Rajan has been appointed as the BBC’s first media editor.

In his new role, Rajan will cover stories around the media industry and their impact on business, politics and culture. He will also continue to present The Big Debate on BBC Asian Network.

Rajan said: “The revolution in media is upending politics, business and culture across the globe. From the role of fake news in elections, to the filter bubbles created by Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and the rest, the new news is changing how we live.

“Meanwhile, the worlds of print, television and advertising face daunting financial futures - while the BBC embarks on a whole new chapter of its own following charter renewal. It’s a vast brief but I am relishing the chance to get stuck in - and hugely excited to continue presenting on Asian Network.”

The 33-year-old, who was born in Kolkata and arrived in the UK when he was three years old, was awarded the prestigious GG2 Hammer Award in 2014 at the Asian Media and Marketing Group’s GG2 Leadership Awards for his appointment as the first non-white editor of a national newspaper.

Rajan has recently presented Radio 4’s Start The Week and will present the station’s Any Answers programme on December 10.

The Independent ceased production as a daily print newspaper in March this year and became an online-only service, at which point Rajan became editor-at-large.

BBC director of news James Harding said: “Amol is an exceptional journalist whose achievements as editor of The Independent are widely admired. He has a proven record both as a story-getter and as a broadcaster, which he demonstrated repeatedly to the recruitment board.

“At a time when traditional media across print, television, radio and advertising face unprecedented challenges, and new digital disrupters and social media platforms are acquiring immense power, it’s essential we tell our audiences the story of the rapidly changing industry and he will bring huge intellectual energy and dynamism to this important role.”