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BBC appoints a Controller Of Pop Music
By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 10 July 2019
The BBC has announced who will be filling the brand new role of Controller Of Pop Music, and that is Lorna Clarke, who has had held an assortment of radio and music posts within the Corporation since she joined it in 1997.
The Beeb announced the creation of the new pop music boss job back in April, with the BBC’s Director Of Radio & Education James Purnell explaining: “The pop stations – Radio 1, 1Xtra, Asian Network, Radio 2, 6 Music – [and] BBC Music and the music TV commissioning heads will report into the new controller. This is a great opportunity for the pop music stations to work more closely together and for the BBC to maintain its effective voice with the music industry”.
Confirming she had got the new gig, Clarke said yesterday: “My career has been defined by music, and as a music lover I want the BBC to continue to bring the world of music even closer to our listeners. These are exciting times for the BBC and the music industry globally, where change is affecting us all at a rapid pace. I am really looking forward to working with the industry and our partners to continue delivering amazing music for our audiences”.
Alongside Clarke’s appointment, the BBC also announced yesterday that Mohit Bakaya will become Controller of Radio 4, while Jonathan Wall will be the first ever Controller of the BBC Sounds app, which has become a brand in its own right.
Announcing all that, Purnell said: “It’s an exciting time for the audio industry and these are some of the most sought after jobs in radio. There were many impressive candidates, but I’m delighted Jonathan, Lorna and Mohit are taking on these important roles”.
