Bob Shennan, currently Controller of Radio 2, Asian Network and 6 Music and Director of BBC Music, has been promoted to Director Of Radio at the Beeb.
As a result, he will have daily oversight of BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 live as well as digital-only stations 1Xtra, 6Music, BBC Radio 4 Extra, 5 live sports extra and Asian Network, as well as the BBC Performing Groups, the BBC Proms, BBC Music and radio production.
He will report to James Purnell, Director of Radio & Education, who has strategic, editorial and budgetary responsibility across arts, children’s, education, music, partnerships and network radio.
Shennan will start his new gig on November 8.
James Purnell said: “I’m delighted to appoint Bob to this important post. Bob has an outstanding breadth of experience and has made a huge contribution to BBC Radio over many years.
“He has proven, through Radio 2, that BBC services can be both distinctive and popular, has brought digital-only services 6 Music and Asian Network to record audiences and has successfully launched BBC Music. I am looking forward to working with him on the next chapter for BBC Radio.”
Shennan has led his three current networks to record RAJAR figures; Radio 2 now reaches 15.3 million people every week, BBC Radio 6 Music has an audience 2.27 million whilst the Asian Network has 676,000 weekly listeners(RAJAR Q2 2016).
BBC Radio 1 has fared less well of late, losing a million listeners year-on-year in Q2.
Bob Shennan says: “Radio is a jewel in the BBC crown and continues to thrive in spite of the changing technological times. BBC Radio is world class and it will be an honour to lead it and make sure it stays that way.”
Shennan joined the BBC in 1987 and progressed to a variety of senior roles in BBC Sport including, from 1998 to 2000, the position of Head of BBC Sport.
In this role, he was responsible for overseeing all sport on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC News 24, BBC national and local radio and the BBC’s sport online.
In August 2000, he was appointed Controller of 5 Live and in September 2002, he launched 5 Live Sports Extra as Controller. During his tenure, 5 Live reached a record audience in 2002 of just under 7 million listeners.
In late 2004 Shennan was given overall managerial responsibility for BBC Asian Network.
He left the BBC in early 2008 to lead Channel Four Radio.
But by October 2008, he had been appointed Controller, Radio 2 and 6 Music in January 2009.
In 2011, he was once again appointed controller of Asian Network and was appointed Head of Popular Music.
In March 2014, Shennan was appointed Director of BBC Music, replacing his role as Controller of Popular Music.Music Business Worldwide
