Dawn Airey
Encyclopedia
Dawn Elizabeth Airey, is a British commercial television executive. She was chairman and chief executive of Channel 5
, the UK television station now owned by Richard Desmond
's Northern and Shell. After its change of ownership in 2010, it was announced Airey would join former owners RTL
- she left Channel 5 at the end of October after a handover period.
where she read Geography. She had attended a local comprehensive, then a boys' private school (Kelly College
) which had a mixed sixth form. Her parents, who were from Liverpool, divorced when she was in her teens, and she subsequently lived with her father for a short period, structural engineer Clifford Airey.
in 1985 under the wing of then director of programmes, Andy Allen. Promotion followed. In 1989 she became Director of Programme Planning at Central and was appointed to the Central broadcasting board. When the ITV Network Centre was established in 1993, she moved to London to become Controller of Children's and Daytime Programmes.
In 1994, she became Controller of Arts and Entertainment at Channel 4
, chaired by Michael Grade
. It was reported in The Sunday Times
that her forthright manner had earned her the soubriquets "Scary Airey" and "Zulu Dawn".
Airey joined Channel 5
in 1996, the year before its launch, as its first director of programmes. It was during her tenure that she famously agreed with an interviewer that the channel's core strengths were "films, football and fucking". She was subsequently appointed as chief executive of the channel in 2000.
In 2002, it was widely touted that ITV plc
was hoping to recruit Airey as its chief executive. However she surprised the television industry by instead accepting a position at the satellite broadcaster, BSkyB. There she was responsible for running all Sky channels, except Sky Sports, and was placed in charge of programming and advertising sales. In 2006 she was made Managing Director of Channels and Services whereupon she gained additional responsibility for all third party channels, joint ventures and networked media.
Airey left BSkyB to head up an independent production business backed by private investors however she was only with the company for a total of eight days before it was announced that the venture did not have sufficient cash to continue trading. Soon after, in May 2007, she was reunited with Michael Grade
, joining ITV plc
as Director of Global Content, running the broadcaster's production and global sales division. But the reunion did not last long.
She earned Grade's enmity when, after eight months in the job, she quit to rejoin Channel 5
in May 2008 as its chairman and CEO, with a remit to increase profitability and audience share. On 11 August 2010 it was announced Airey would leave Channel 5 to take up a senior post with RTL
, its former owners, later in 2010.
, a trustee of The Media Trust from April 2004 until October 2010, a patron of the Banff World Television Festival and a vice-president of the Royal Television Society
. She is a former non-executive director of the airline easyJet
.
In 2006 she was named as one of the 100 most influential gay and lesbian people in the UK by the Independent. Dawn Airey entered into a civil partnership with Jacquie Lawrence in February 2007, a television producer; Lawrence gave birth to the couple's daughter a month later.
Channel Five
Channel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010...
, the UK television station now owned by Richard Desmond
Richard Desmond
Richard Clive Desmond is an English publisher and businessman. He is the owner of Express Newspapers and founder in 1974 of Northern & Shell, which publishes various celebrity magazines, such as OK! and New!, and British national newspapers Daily Star and Daily Express...
's Northern and Shell. After its change of ownership in 2010, it was announced Airey would join former owners RTL
RTL Group
RTL Group is Europe's largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries...
- she left Channel 5 at the end of October after a handover period.
Early life
Airey was educated at Girton College, CambridgeGirton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
where she read Geography. She had attended a local comprehensive, then a boys' private school (Kelly College
Kelly College
Kelly College is a coeducational independent school situated in the outskirts of Tavistock, Devon, with around 350 students ranging from ages 11 to 18; there is an associated preparatory school for primary school children, Kelly College Preparatory School, nearby.The college has eight hectares of...
) which had a mixed sixth form. Her parents, who were from Liverpool, divorced when she was in her teens, and she subsequently lived with her father for a short period, structural engineer Clifford Airey.
Career
After failing in her attempt to win a BBC traineeship, Airey chose the commercial route by becoming a management trainee for Central Independent TelevisionCentral Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
in 1985 under the wing of then director of programmes, Andy Allen. Promotion followed. In 1989 she became Director of Programme Planning at Central and was appointed to the Central broadcasting board. When the ITV Network Centre was established in 1993, she moved to London to become Controller of Children's and Daytime Programmes.
In 1994, she became Controller of Arts and Entertainment at Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, chaired by Michael Grade
Michael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
. It was reported in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
that her forthright manner had earned her the soubriquets "Scary Airey" and "Zulu Dawn".
Airey joined Channel 5
Channel Five
Channel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010...
in 1996, the year before its launch, as its first director of programmes. It was during her tenure that she famously agreed with an interviewer that the channel's core strengths were "films, football and fucking". She was subsequently appointed as chief executive of the channel in 2000.
In 2002, it was widely touted that ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
was hoping to recruit Airey as its chief executive. However she surprised the television industry by instead accepting a position at the satellite broadcaster, BSkyB. There she was responsible for running all Sky channels, except Sky Sports, and was placed in charge of programming and advertising sales. In 2006 she was made Managing Director of Channels and Services whereupon she gained additional responsibility for all third party channels, joint ventures and networked media.
Airey left BSkyB to head up an independent production business backed by private investors however she was only with the company for a total of eight days before it was announced that the venture did not have sufficient cash to continue trading. Soon after, in May 2007, she was reunited with Michael Grade
Michael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
, joining ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
as Director of Global Content, running the broadcaster's production and global sales division. But the reunion did not last long.
She earned Grade's enmity when, after eight months in the job, she quit to rejoin Channel 5
Channel Five
Channel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010...
in May 2008 as its chairman and CEO, with a remit to increase profitability and audience share. On 11 August 2010 it was announced Airey would leave Channel 5 to take up a senior post with RTL
RTL Group
RTL Group is Europe's largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries...
, its former owners, later in 2010.
Personal life
Airey is a member of the board of the British LibraryBritish Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
, a trustee of The Media Trust from April 2004 until October 2010, a patron of the Banff World Television Festival and a vice-president of the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
. She is a former non-executive director of the airline easyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
.
In 2006 she was named as one of the 100 most influential gay and lesbian people in the UK by the Independent. Dawn Airey entered into a civil partnership with Jacquie Lawrence in February 2007, a television producer; Lawrence gave birth to the couple's daughter a month later.