Singapore – Regional broadcaster Channel NewsAsia has appointed veteran journalist and award-winning programme-maker Lian Pek as Chief Editor. As Chief Editor, Pek sets the editorial direction and oversees production of English news for Channel NewsAsia and sister channel, MediaCorp Channel 5.

Pek joins Channel NewsAsia after a distinguished career in news and current affairs, having held leading editorial and anchor positions at international news organizations such as CNN International, Bloomberg Financial News and Aljazeera English. Besides broadcast news, Pek is recognised for her award-winning work in the documentary and film space. She started her career at the then Television Corporation of Singapore, where she launched and anchored its first daily business news bulletin.

The appointment comes as the channel is expanding its programming and services. In an earlier announcement, the channel had said it was extending its programming hours, and broadcasting LIVE 24 hours a day from January 2013.

Managing Director of Channel NewsAsia, Ms Debra Soon, says, “As we take the channel to more countries, Lian Pek has joined us at a critical juncture when we are revving up and expanding. We have planned for more and better business and sports content, and a newly structured digital desk for greater reach. The media landscape is extremely dynamic and Lian Pek is bringing with her a wealth of experience which will certainly benefit the journalists and the channel as a whole.”