George Auckland
Encyclopedia
George Auckland is a UK television and digital media executive, now retired after a long career at the BBC
. During his time as a BBC executive he worked on some of the key educational landmarks in British interactive media including the BBC Micro
computer and the BBC Networking Club. He also set up the BBC's first web production unit which was responsible for award winning websites such as Teletubbies
, Bitesize
, and produced many of the BBC's early TV programmes about home computing and the Internet.
George Auckland graduated from Durham University
with a Degree in Applied Physics in 1969 he then joined the BBC as a trainee Film Editor in October that year. He became a TV producer and worked on many programmes from Blue Peter
to a whole range of award-winning Adult education programmes including Johnny Ball
's Think of a Number. In December 1989 he received a Royal Television Society
award for Take Nobody's Word For It (Vermeer episode) with Hendrik Ball, the award was in the adult/continuing education general audience (1988) category.
In spring 1996 George helped create the BBC Education Website, and in 1999 became Head of a new department: Digital Media, which won the Royal Television Society
, Educational Television, 1999 Judge's Award in (received in 2000) for BBC Education Online. He ran the Innovations Unit within BBC Learning (formerly BBC Interactive Factual and Learning) until March 31, 2011 when he retired from the BBC after 41 and a half years of service.
In 2007 he received the 2006 RTS Lifetime Achievement Award at the RTS Educational Awards.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. During his time as a BBC executive he worked on some of the key educational landmarks in British interactive media including the BBC Micro
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
computer and the BBC Networking Club. He also set up the BBC's first web production unit which was responsible for award winning websites such as Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies is a BBC children's television series targeted at pre-school viewers and produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions. It was created by Ragdoll's creative director Anne Wood CBE and Andrew Davenport, who wrote each of the show's 365 episodes. The programme's original narrator was...
, Bitesize
Bitesize
BBC Bitesize is the name given to the BBC's free online study support resource for school-age students in the United Kingdom. It is designed to aid students in both school work and, for older students, exams.- History :...
, and produced many of the BBC's early TV programmes about home computing and the Internet.
George Auckland graduated from Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
with a Degree in Applied Physics in 1969 he then joined the BBC as a trainee Film Editor in October that year. He became a TV producer and worked on many programmes from Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
to a whole range of award-winning Adult education programmes including Johnny Ball
Johnny Ball
Johnny Ball is a British television personality, a great populariser of mathematics and the father of BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoë Ball.-Early life:...
's Think of a Number. In December 1989 he received a 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...
award for Take Nobody's Word For It (Vermeer episode) with Hendrik Ball, the award was in the adult/continuing education general audience (1988) category.
In spring 1996 George helped create the BBC Education Website, and in 1999 became Head of a new department: Digital Media, which won 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...
, Educational Television, 1999 Judge's Award in (received in 2000) for BBC Education Online. He ran the Innovations Unit within BBC Learning (formerly BBC Interactive Factual and Learning) until March 31, 2011 when he retired from the BBC after 41 and a half years of service.
In 2007 he received the 2006 RTS Lifetime Achievement Award at the RTS Educational Awards.