Charles Mitchel

Charles Gerald Anthony Mitchel (8 November 1920 – 18 August 1996) was an Irish actor and broadcaster, best known as an RTÉ television newscaster for almost 23 years.

Early life Born in Dublin, Mitchel was educated at Clongowes Wood College boarding school in Clane, County Kildare.

Broadcasting career In 1961 Mitchel, joined the newly formed state television station, Telefís Éireann, as its first chief newsreader. His starting salary was £26 per week. Mitchel read the first bulletin on the network at 9.15pm on Sunday 31 December 1961.

He received numerous honours, including being awarded television personality of the year in December 1962 – he also became the first RTÉ presenter to win a Jacobs' Award.

As chief newsreader, Mitchel led a team of readers for the main evening bulletins including Andy O'Mahony, Maurice O'Doherty, Don Cockburn and in later years, Derek Davis and Anne Doyle. Mitchel retired from RTE on Thursday 8 November 1984 after presenting his last TV bulletin, the flagship Nine O'Clock News.

In 1989 he joined LMFM, a local radio station in Drogheda, County Louth, where he read the news and answered listeners' queries.