James Harding named as new director for BBC News

The former editor of the Times, James Harding, has been appointed as the new director of news and current affairs for the BBC, confirms director general Tony Hall.

Hall said that he was “delighted” to make the announcement that Harding will be joining the BBC’s news team.

“I believe that James will give News a renewed sense of purpose as it moves on from what has been an undeniably difficult chapter,” he added.

On his first day as director general at the beginning of April, Hall outlined a number of issues that the BBC needs to address, however he said that he was confident about the corporation’s future and said that the “best days lie ahead”.

Speaking in February, Hall said that he is building a senior team that will define the BBC for the next decade, and the appointment of Harding demonstrates his intentions for the corporation.

Harding – who became editor of the Times in 2007 – said that he was “honoured” to be a part of a news team that is “trusted for its accuracy, respected for its fairness and admired for the courage of its reporting”.

Harding will take up his new role at the BBC on 12 August and will be paid £340,000 a year.