IFTA TELEVISION COMMITTEE

• Brendan Courtney
  Broadcaster & Fashion Designer

  Brendan Courtney is a TV Presenter, broadcaster & fashion designer. Brendan has hosted countless award ceremonies and live events. Starting his career as a researcher on day-time TV, it was here he wrote his first international best selling TV format Wanderlust, which he hosted from 1999-2003. Soon he caught the attention of ITV and BBC where he worked on Blind Date, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Take Away, and The Clothes Show amongst others. In 2009, he was asked back to RTE to take the reigns on Off The Rails. It was from this platform that he launched his label Lennon Courtney. In 2017 he made the documentary We Need to Talk About Dad, tackling the government's policy on older care. He continues his crusading with his current TV Series The Crowed House which takes on the housing crisis.



• Eddie Doyle
  Head of Content Production, BBC Northern Ireland

  As BBC NI's new Head of Content, Eddie is overseeing the BBC's in-house production in Northern Ireland across TV, radio and digital excluding news and current affairs. While with RTÉ, Eddie was involved in the commissioning of a wide variety of shows including Prime Time Investigates, Mrs Brown's Boys, Damo & Ivor, Bridget & Eamon, Can't Cope Won't Cope, Nowhere Fast and The School.



• Múirne Laffin
  Broadcaster

  After heading up RTÉ Digital, Múirne left RTÉ in late 2017 and is now a non-executive Board Member of the Digital Repository of Ireland. Múirne worked at Universal McCann in New York before joining RTÉ and during her 16 years at Montrose, she also served as executive director of RTÉ publishing and managing director of RTÉ Digital. She was also instrumental in setting up GAAGO which has helped to bring our national games to a global audience.



• Mícheál Ó Meallaigh
  Former Commissioning Director, TG4

  Ar scor le déanaí óna phost mar Stiúrthóir Coimisiúnaithe le TG4, áit a raibh sé ag obair ó thús craolta 1996. Freagrach as ucht cláir a choimisiúnú i mbeagnach gach genre thar na blianta ach a chroí i bhfáisnéis agus drámaíocht. Gairm iomlán éagsúil aige roimh sin mar ostóir, ar dtús i Nua Eabhrach agus níos déanaí i dTír Chonáil.

  Recently retired from the position of Commissioning Director with TG4 where he worked since it came on the air 1996. Has been responsible for commissioning programmes in most genres over the years but specialised in documentary and drama. Had a previous career in the hospitality business first in New York and later in Donegal. Dedicated to the promotion of the Irish language.



• Stephen Rooke
  Managing Director, Tile Films

  Stephen Rooke is Managing Director of Tile Films and the leader of a vibrant production team. Over the last thirty years, Stephen has gained a reputation as one of Ireland's leading documentary/factual filmmakers. He has directed, produced, executive produced over 200 film and television productions. Stephen's film and television work has been seen at many film festivals around the world, and broadcasted to over 40 channels internationally. Recent productions include: Sacred Sites, Aerial Ireland, Waterloo's Warriors, Death or Liberty, and After Braveheart. Stephen's productions have received some 20 accolades, including the 2017 New York Festivals “Silver Medal” for Sacred Sites, 2016 World Media Festival “Gold Award” for Waterloo's Warriors, and the 2012 IFTA award for best documentary series for Waterways: The Royal Canal.



• Jannine Waddell
  Managing Director, Waddell Media

  Waddell Media is based in Holywood, County Down and is run by Jannine Waddell. As well as overseeing business strategy, Jannine also takes executive responsibility for many of the company's hit returning series and singles including Million Dollar Car Hunters, World's Most Expensive Cars, At Your Service, Francis Brennan's Grand Tour, Getaways, The Secret World of LEGO. Before joining Waddell Media in 2003, Jannine worked in London as the BBC's Editor for travel programming, responsible for long running series such as Holiday. Other Series Producing credits include Hollywood Lovers, The Big Breakfast, and The Great Antiques Hunt. Jannine is the Chair of the Women in Film and Television steering group in NI and also sits on the RTS NI committee.