Swedish Radio (SR) Director General Cilla Benkö has been elected as the new Vice-President of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The Director General of Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) Milen Mitev was also elected for the first time on the Executive Board.  

They were both elected to the roles by an absolute majority at the EBU’s General Assembly held in Geneva today. They will take up the new roles with immediate effect for the remainder of the 2023 – 2024 term of office.

The Vice-President is responsible for helping lead the EBU’s Executive Board and championing the value and importance of public service media across Europe. The Board ensures the implementation of the EBU’s strategy and policies.

Cilla Benkö was appointed Director General & CEO of SR in 2012, after holding the position of Deputy Director General since 2009. She has been a member of the EBU Executive Board since 2010 and currently serves as Chair of the EBU Personnel Committee. She will replace ex-Czech Television Director General Petr Dvořák as Vice-President.

She said: “In challenging and uncertain times, free and independent media have a major role to play and the need for public service broadcasting has never been greater. There are opportunities to explore how we can revitalize ourselves for the next generation, but we also need to come together and stand up for public service values like never before. I am honoured by the trust of the members and very much look forward to starting as Vice-President.”

Milen Mitev has spent most of his professional career at BNR. He has been closely involved in the work of different EBU bodies and is a member of the Legal and Policy Committee and the Radio Committee. He takes up Cilla Benkö’s vacant seat on the Executive Board.

He said: “Public media has a rich past and the challenges we are facing today create unique opportunities for the days to come. Quick technological developments have led to a new and extremely competitive media world and, in the meantime, given birth to innovative ways of reaching audiences. It has also provided us with new challenges and competitors. 

“In this environment we need to work hard to show the great value that public service media contribute to modern democratic societies. Public trust obliges us to provide a quality service, to continue to be on the front line in the fight against disinformation, and to work hard for a pluralistic and free media environment. I strongly believe in teamwork and it is an honour for me to be a member of the Executive Board of the EBU. Thank you!”
 

FULL EXECUTIVE BOARD LINE-UP

President: Delphine Ernotte-Cunci, CEO, France Télévisions (France)
Vice-President: Cilla Benkö, Director General & CEO, SR (Sweden)
Mykola Chernotytskyi, Head of the Managing Board, UA:PBC (Ukraine)
Tim Davie, Director General, BBC (United Kingdom)
Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė, Director General, LRT (Lithuania)
Giacomo Ghisani, Acting Director General, RV (Vatican State)
Gilles Marchand, Director General, SRG SSR (Switzerland)
Milen Mitev, Director General, BNR (Bulgaria)
Nicolau Santos, Chair of the Board of Directors, RTP (Portugal)
Marinella Soldi, President, Rai (Italy)
Katja Wildermuth, Director General, BR (Germany)