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 will replace her on the Executive Board of the EBU, the organization announced yesterday.

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.

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 honor for me to be a member of the Executive Board of the EBU. Thank you!”