For the first time in the British Broadcasting Corporation's (BBC) 87 year history, a Muslim will head the well-known UK news organization's religious programming division.
This is only the second time a non-Christian has held the post, with agnostic Alan Bookbinder filling the role from 2001 to 2006.
Aaqil Ahmed will become the BBC's Head of Religion and Ethics and the Commissioning Editor for Religion TV. He is known for commissioning various programs on Christianity and Islam for a private television network.
The Church of England recently expressed concern that Christian views are being sidelined in Britain. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams has said he fears the "Christian voice" has become marginalized in the largely Christian country.
The BBC is Britain's national public broadcaster, and is the world's largest broadcasting corporation, available in over 274 million households.