Government is advertising for a general manager for its taxpayer-funded CITV television station, offering a salary of up to six figures despite already having an American broadcaster in that role.

The Department of Communication and Information placed an ad in the July 17 edition of the Bermuda Sun, offering between $96,746 and $103,380 for a general manager for the Government-run TV channel.

However, this position has already been filled by US broadcaster Renee Kemp, who was announced as the new CITV general manager in January of this year.

CITV spokeswoman Beverle Lottimore explained that former California news anchor Ms Kemp will remain in her role, telling The Royal Gazette that the ad is actually for a Bermudian understudy, who will shadow the broadcaster for two years before taking over her position.

"The ad for the CITV general manager is in keeping with what we said we would do after the first advertising of the post did not garner a qualified Bermudian," Ms Lottimore said.

"We indicated, at that time, that we would have a Bermudian designate to understudy the post for a period of two years, with the ultimate goal of having him or her move into the substantive post after that time. The ad you see will enable us to do this.

"The responsibilities of the post remain the same for, at the end of the designated time and having fulfilled the development plan toward full qualification, the Bermudian will move into the substantive post of general manager."

The ad does not state that the role is for an understudy, nor does it explain that the successful candidate will take over in two years' time.

Ms Lottimore did not respond when asked whether this understudy would be paid the full amount specified in the ad, nor whether this approximate $100,000 salary represents what Ms Kemp is currently paid.

She did not respond when asked whether candidates would be told prior to hiring that this is an understudy position, nor whether it is standard practice to pay two people for one role. Both salaries are drawn from CITV's annual budget – $935,000 for 2009/10, according to the Government's budget estimate.

Ms Kemp said she knew from the start that she would be expected to train her replacement, but said she had "no idea" about the trainee's salary.

She would not confirm whether the salary listed on the ad, for between $96,746 and $103,380, is in line with what she is currently paid.

An article on the website of her former employer KTVU announcing Ms Kemp's departure described her CITV job description as "overseeing operations, hosting her own talk show and... reporting local news stories".

The station has been controversial since its inception, with Opposition MP E.T. (Bob) Richards calling its creation "unheard of" before its 2007 launch.

"To spend the taxpayers' money on a Government TV station in a first-world country as Bermuda, is just unheard of," he said. "Government has proposed that the station will be something like the BBC in the UK, which is government-owned. But the BBC has total editorial independence from the Government there."

Former Premier Alex Scott responded at the time that a Government-run station was necessary, saying: "The Government feels it prudent and necessary to speak on a regular basis directly to the people of this Country, in an unmediated and unedited fashion.''

CITV did not respond to a question on its current staffing levels.

At its launch in 2007, the station had a full-time staff of five.