The members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have elected a new President and Vice  President during the 84th EBU Annual Assembly today. The event was held virtually from Geneva after unprecedented cancellation last June.

Ms.Delphine Ernotte Cunci (France Televisions CEO) has been elected as the new EBU President, whilst Mr. Petr Dvorak (Czech Television General Director) has been elected as the EBU’s Vice President.

Both Delphine and Petr were chosen for their roles during today’s virtual general assembly with grand majority and will be taking over  their new roles as of January 2021 for a 2 year term.

The EBU’s President and Vice President play a key role in leading EBU’s Executive Board and enhancing public service media throughout the continent along with its value and importance.

About Delphine Ernotte Cunci

Delphine Ernotte Cunci has been France Television’s CEO since 2015 and has just been re-elected for a second term. She is currently the Vice-President of the EBU and will take over Tony Hall (former BBC Director General) as the EBU’s President.

Delphine Ernotte Cunci says:

I am very honoured by the trust and confidence that Members have bestowed upon me. The health crisis has underlined the major democratic role played by public service media in accessing free and trusted information. The diversity of our countries and our cultures is a major strength in confronting global media platforms and I will, of course, rely on it.

I will follow in the footsteps of my predecessor Tony Hall, to whom I pay tribute, so that our alliance can continue to uphold Europe’s cultural and technological sovereignty.

Lastly, I am both proud and happy for all France Télévisions staff, with whom I share the honour of becoming the EBU’s first female president.

About Petr Dvorak

Petr Dvorak has been serving as Czech Televisions’s Director General since 2011. He has great experience when it comes to television and telecommunications having served as TV Nova’s Director General in the Czech Republic. Petr will be taking over from Delphine in the vice-presidency of the EBU.

Petr Dvorak says:

Without any doubt, these are difficult times. However, public service media are good at doing difficult things. It is part of our DNA and we have proven, recently as well as during our long history, that we excel at fulfilling different public needs no matter what.

Despite the pandemic, the economic changes, political pressures, the transformation of viewing habits, technological development and transnational competitors, we keep on working and we are, after all, the most trusted media in Europe.

 I am very happy to join the EBU as Vice-President and I am very keen on helping everyone find ways to work together and support each other.

About the EBU

The EBU is based in Geneva, Switzerland and is a global alliance of public service media (PSM). The European Broadcasting Corporation has 69 active members in 56 countries and 34 associate members in 21 countries.

The EBU’s main target is to secure a sustainable future for public service media, providing its members with world-class content: news, sports and music etc. The EBU also aims building on its founding ethos of solidarity and co-operation to create a centre for learning and sharing.

Mr. Noel Curran is currently the General Director of the EBU. The European Broadcasting Union is the organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest, an event it has been producing since 1956.

Source: EBU