Jimmy Mack (broadcaster)
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Mack MBE
(1934-2004, born James F. McRitchie) was a Scottish broadcaster, best known for his work on BBC Radio Scotland
and Radio Clyde
.
Jimmy was born in Greenock
, Scotland
on 26 June 1934. He was educated at Lenzie Academy
and Bathgate
Academy. He worked for the Guardian Royal Exchange
insurance
company from 1956 until 1970; his broadcasting career started in 1965 on the pirate radio
station Radio Scotland
242, which was closed down in 1967 under the provisions of the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act
(in British legislation). Thereafter he joined the BBC
in Glasgow, including working as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2's "Night Ride" programme.
He moved to Kent
, England
in 1970, becoming a presenter on the Chatham-based BBC Radio Medway (now BBC Radio Kent
), plus occasional broadcasts on BBC Radio 2. He also produced some programmes for BBC Radio 4, such as "You and Yours".
The launch of BBC Radio Scotland in 1978 saw Jimmy return to Scotland (in 1979), becoming presenter of the mid-morning programme in 1978 (The Jimmy Mack Show), which in 1988 broadcast live from the Glasgow Garden Festival
for a total of 108 consecutive outside broadcasts, a possible record for such a programme.
He also became well-known on television in Scotland, with programmes for the BBC as well as Grampian Television
and Scotland Today
for STV.
In 1990 he left Radio Scotland to work for the West of Scotland commercial station Radio Clyde, becoming one of the station's main presenters. He was patron of the Scottish Motor Neurone Disease
Association. His charity work led to him being awarded the MBE in 1996. He continued to broadcast on Radio Clyde until two weeks before his death (from cancer) on 3 July 2004. He was married, with a son and a daughter.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(1934-2004, born James F. McRitchie) was a Scottish broadcaster, best known for his work on BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
and Radio Clyde
Radio Clyde
Radio Clyde is a division of Bauer Radio based in Glasgow, Scotland. They currently operate an FM station and an AM station from studios in Clydebank West Dunbartonshire.- History :...
.
Jimmy was born in Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on 26 June 1934. He was educated at Lenzie Academy
Lenzie Academy
Lenzie Academy is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school located in Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The catchment area covers the town of Lenzie, the village of Auchinloch and southern parts of Kirkintilloch.-Senior Management Team:...
and Bathgate
Bathgate
Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the M8 motorway west of Livingston. Nearby towns are Blackburn, Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston, and Linlithgow. Edinburgh Airport is away...
Academy. He worked for the Guardian Royal Exchange
Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance
Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance plc was a large British insurance company. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
company from 1956 until 1970; his broadcasting career started in 1965 on the pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
station Radio Scotland
Radio Scotland
Radio Scotland was an offshore pirate radio station broadcasting on 1241 kHz mediumwave , created by Tommy Shields in 1965. The station was located on the former lightship M.V...
242, which was closed down in 1967 under the provisions of the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act
Marine Broadcasting Offences Act
The Marine, &c., Broadcasting Act 1967 c.41, shortened to Marine Broadcasting Offences Act, became law in the United Kingdom at midnight on Monday, August 14, 1967 and was repealed by the...
(in British legislation). Thereafter he joined the BBC
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...
in Glasgow, including working as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2's "Night Ride" programme.
He moved to Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1970, becoming a presenter on the Chatham-based BBC Radio Medway (now BBC Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Kent.It broadcasts on FM on 96.7 , 97.6 and 104.2 also 774 and 1602 MW and DAB.- History :The radio station was launched in 1970 under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the...
), plus occasional broadcasts on BBC Radio 2. He also produced some programmes for BBC Radio 4, such as "You and Yours".
The launch of BBC Radio Scotland in 1978 saw Jimmy return to Scotland (in 1979), becoming presenter of the mid-morning programme in 1978 (The Jimmy Mack Show), which in 1988 broadcast live from the Glasgow Garden Festival
Glasgow Garden Festival
The Glasgow Garden Festival was the third of the United Kingdom's five National Garden Festivals, and the only one to take place in Scotland.It was held in Glasgow between 26 April and 26 September 1988...
for a total of 108 consecutive outside broadcasts, a possible record for such a programme.
He also became well-known on television in Scotland, with programmes for the BBC as well as Grampian Television
Grampian Television
Grampian Television is the ITV franchisee for the North and North East of Scotland. Its coverage area includes the Scottish Highlands , Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and parts of north Fife...
and Scotland Today
Scotland Today
Scotland Today was a Scottish regional news programme covering Central Scotland, produced by STV Central . Despite its name suggesting a national remit, the programme was actually limited to stories around STV's Central Belt franchise...
for STV.
In 1990 he left Radio Scotland to work for the West of Scotland commercial station Radio Clyde, becoming one of the station's main presenters. He was patron of the Scottish Motor Neurone Disease
Motor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
Association. His charity work led to him being awarded the MBE in 1996. He continued to broadcast on Radio Clyde until two weeks before his death (from cancer) on 3 July 2004. He was married, with a son and a daughter.