It has been quite a day for MBC. As , the chairman of the satellite TV network has just been named the most powerful executive in the Middle East media industry. And now it has emerged that MBC's respected group TV director, Tim Riordan, will step down in October. He will be replaced by Ali Jaber, an academic and TV consultant, whom MBC's viewers will recognise as one of the judges on the show. Mr Riordan plans to retire at the beginning of October, but will remain as a special advisor to MBC. A veteran of the industry, and a colourful character in social settings, Mr Riordan is credited with having established several MBC channels (notably MBC2) as well as having negotiated rights deals with major studios. <i>Picture shows Tim Riordan, MBC's group director general Ali AlHudeithy, and Ali Jaber. (source: MBC)<br/><br/><br/></i>