ITN HAVE announced the appointment of Debbie Ramsay as the new editor of 5 News, heralding an exciting chapter for the popular news program.
Ramsay brings with her a wealth of experience, having served as the Commissioning Editor for News and Current Affairs at Channel 4 prior to this pivotal role.
Taking the reins amidst a period of remarkable growth, Ramsay’s stewardship arrives at an opportune moment.
The program’s impressive performance in the first quarter of 2023 witnessed a remarkable 12 per cent year-on-year surge among viewers, garnering an average share of 2.9 per cent and captivating an audience of 301,000.
This upward trajectory shows no signs of abating, with April and May witnessing a staggering 30 per cent increase in overall program share compared to the previous year.
Ramsay’s illustrious career is marked by a diverse array of accomplishments.
Prior to her tenure at Channel 4, she spent an impressive 16 years at the BBC, where she held various esteemed positions. Notably, she served as an Executive Editor at BBC News, overseeing the commissioning of original journalism and instilling a spirit of innovation and excellence.
Before that, she left an indelible mark as the Head of Youth Journalism, contributing significantly to the BBC’s flagship multi-platform youth outlets, Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
Ramsay’s journey in journalism began with humble origins, honing her skills on local newspapers in the northwest of England.
From there, she seamlessly transitioned into the captivating world of local radio, leaving an indelible mark on both the community in the northwest and Birmingham.
Her exceptional talent and relentless pursuit of excellence propelled her to the prestigious role of presenting and breakfast news editor at Capital FM, a testament to her unwavering dedication to her craft.
As Ramsay assumes the esteemed position of editor at 5 News, an air of excitement and anticipation pervades the industry.
With her formidable expertise and innate ability to inspire and lead, it’s believed that she is poised to guide the program into uncharted realms of success, amplifying its impact and cementing its place as a trusted source of news and insight in the ever-evolving media landscape.
Ramsay enthused: “5 News already punches well above its weight, and this is a fantastic opportunity to work with an exceptional team to punch harder.
“The programme has incredible reach out of London and with women and I hope to tap into my experience of working with harder-to-reach audiences to boost that further.
“5 News has a family feel and I want to emphasise that further with viewers who can play a role in telling us what they need, including as the team often do now, by covering stories that matter to them most and that no-one else is covering.”
Rachel Corp, CEO at ITN said: “I am delighted that Debbie Ramsay will be taking on the reigns at 5 News. She has an impressive track record as an editor and is known for producing bold and distinctive content. She is also passionate about reaching new and underserved audiences.
“That expertise not only chimes with the reach and agenda at 5 News but the wider work we are doing across ITN, and she will be a huge asset on my senior leadership team.
“She is joining 5 News at a time of growth, bucking the trend on linear and expanding its reach, and I can’t wait to see what she does with the programme next.”
Daniel Pearl, Commissioning Editor at Channel 5 added: “Debbie is an outstanding and high-profile appointment. She has held senior roles at the BBC News and Channel 4 and will help accelerate the recent growth of 5 News.
“Debbie is well placed to build on the success of Cait’s superb editorship, during which she relaunched the News as an hour with the brilliant Dan Walker and Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije. We’re excited to see how Debbie develops 5 News and how she can bring its unique and distinctive voice to even more viewers.”
Ramsay will take up the post later in the autumn, taking over from Cait FitzSimons who has been 5 News editor for 5 years.
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