To the surprise of staff and management, the director general of RTÉ, Mr Bob Collins, has decided to step down six months before his contract runs out.
Mr Collins, who has held the position for six years, said he was stepping down so the station would not have to endure months of speculation about his successor.
He said going early would also allow a successor to have a role in budgetary and programming matters for next year.
It is understood Mr Collins was anxious to finish after putting so much energy into the licence-fee campaign, and to let his successor chart a new course. He also spent considerable time in recent years dealing with often bruising industrial relations issues at the company.
In a letter to staff, he said speculation about who might succeed him could create uncertainty, and this would be "highly undesirable and potentially damaging".
A spokeswoman for the station said Mr Collins made the decision on his own, and there were no accentuating circumstances.
His decision means the station will almost immediately start the process to find his successor. A sub-committee of the RTÉ Authority is likely to be set up for this purpose, and an external headhunting agency may also be used.
The decision on a successor could be made as early as this summer. It is ultimately one for the RTÉ Authority, a group of nine people from different walks of life. The chairman is Mr Paddy Wright, a director of the Smurfit Group.
The departure of Mr Collins will bring to an end an era when three powerful figures - Mr Joe Mulholland, Mr Liam Millar and Mr Collins - exerted considerable influence over the station.
Mr Mulholland left the station two years ago, while Mr Millar announced his retirement a few weeks ago.
Mr Collins spent most of last year working on negotiations for a licence-fee increase. The granting of an increase by the Minister for Communications and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, was regarded as a triumph for Mr Collins and his team.
Sources last night said potential internal successors might include Mr Cathal Goan, director of television; Mr Conor Hayes, chief financial officer; and Mr Adrian Moynes, director of radio. Mr Kevin Lenihan, head of entertainment, was also mentioned, as was the former director of radio Ms Helen Shaw.
External candidates could also feature strongly, although the station has traditionally been reluctant to appoint outsiders to the post. Sources said figures such as Mr Willie O'Reilly, managing director of Today FM, who worked at RTÉ, might be suitable.
The former editor of The Irish Times, Mr Conor Brady, was also mentioned by some sources.
There are several former RTÉ staff now working in British television who might also be considered. Senior BBC figure Mr Pat Loughrey might fall into this category.