Kenneth Adam
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Adam CBE
(born on 1 March 1908 in Nottingham
; died 18 October 1978) was an English
journalist and broadcasting executive, who from 1957 until 1961 served as the Controller of the BBC Television Service
.
, Adam moved on to St John's College, Cambridge
to study history, in which he gained a First Class degree. While at St John's he was both President of the Union
and President of the University Liberal Club. After graduating, he joined the staff of the Manchester Guardian
newspaper as a journalist at the age of just twenty-two. While working for the Guardian he also began working as a freelance broadcaster for BBC radio
in Manchester
, leaving the newspaper to join the BBC full-time in 1934 as a Home News Editor.
. His time at BOAC was short-lived, however, as in 1941 he re-joined the staff of the BBC, this time serving as its Head of Publicity.
, took the perhaps surprising decision to appoint him as the Controller of the BBC Light Programme
, one of the BBC's most popular national radio stations. Adam took up the post at the end of the year and successfully ran the station for the next four years, although he apparently became frustrated at the lack of opportunities to move across into the newer medium of television
, which was his latest ambition.
Perhaps due to this frustration, in 1955 he once more decided to leave the BBC, and indeed the full-time broadcasting industry as a whole, joining Hulton Press as the company's Joint General Manager. This finally enabled him to make the move in television with the BBC's commercial competitor, ITV
, as he returned to appearing on the airwaves rather than behind the scenes, becoming a chairman of the programme Free Speech. He also appeared occasionally on other television programmes, as well as on various BBC radio programmes.
In February 1957 he returned once again to the BBC to succeed Cecil McGivern
as the Controller of Programmes at the BBC Television Service
. He occupied this post for four years until 1961, when he was promoted to become the BBC's overall Director of Television. He remained in this role until 1968, when he reached the BBC's compulsory retirement age of sixty.
, being made Visiting Professor of Communications at Temple University
, Philadelphia. He also wrote a frank series of articles on his time at the BBC for the Sunday Times
newspaper in 1969, and in later years was variously a Governor of Charing Cross Hospital
; of the British Film Institute
; a member of the councils of the National Youth Theatre
; the Tavistock Institute
; the British Travel Association and Industrial Design
. In 1962 he had been awarded the CBE
, and he was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
.
He was married to his wife, Ruth, from 1932 to her death in 1977. They had three sons and a daughter, the journalist Corinna Adam, all of whom survived him.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(born on 1 March 1908 in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
; died 18 October 1978) was an English
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...
journalist and broadcasting executive, who from 1957 until 1961 served as the Controller of the BBC Television Service
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
Education
After attending Nottingham High SchoolNottingham High School
Nottingham High School is a British boys' independent school situated about a mile north of Nottingham city centre. It has around 900 pupils from ages 11 to 18 and there is the adjoining Nottingham High Junior School catering for younger boys and, from September 2008, the Lovell House...
, Adam moved on to St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
to study history, in which he gained a First Class degree. While at St John's he was both President of the Union
Cambridge Union Society
The Cambridge Union Society, commonly referred to as simply "the Cambridge Union" or "the Union," is a debating society in Cambridge, England and is the largest society at the University of Cambridge. Since its founding in 1815, the Union has developed a worldwide reputation as a noted symbol of...
and President of the University Liberal Club. After graduating, he joined the staff of the Manchester Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper as a journalist at the age of just twenty-two. While working for the Guardian he also began working as a freelance broadcaster for BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, leaving the newspaper to join the BBC full-time in 1934 as a Home News Editor.
Print Journalism
However, he stayed in radio for just two years before returning to the world of print journalism, joining The Star in 1936. He worked for the paper as a Special Correspondent until 1940, when due to the journalistic restrictions of the Second World War he temporarily left the industry to become the press officer for the British Overseas Airways CorporationBritish Overseas Airways Corporation
The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
. His time at BOAC was short-lived, however, as in 1941 he re-joined the staff of the BBC, this time serving as its Head of Publicity.
Broadcasting
Adam spent nine years in this role, before in 1950 the Director General of the BBC, William HaleyWilliam Haley
Sir William John Haley, KCMG was a British newspaper editor and broadcasting administrator.-Biography:Early in his career on the Manchester Evening News, Haley was found to be too shy to work as a reporter...
, took the perhaps surprising decision to appoint him as the Controller of the BBC Light Programme
BBC Light Programme
The Light Programme was a BBC radio station which broadcast mainstream light entertainment and music from 1945 until 1967, when it was rebranded as BBC Radio 2...
, one of the BBC's most popular national radio stations. Adam took up the post at the end of the year and successfully ran the station for the next four years, although he apparently became frustrated at the lack of opportunities to move across into the newer medium of television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, which was his latest ambition.
Perhaps due to this frustration, in 1955 he once more decided to leave the BBC, and indeed the full-time broadcasting industry as a whole, joining Hulton Press as the company's Joint General Manager. This finally enabled him to make the move in television with the BBC's commercial competitor, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, as he returned to appearing on the airwaves rather than behind the scenes, becoming a chairman of the programme Free Speech. He also appeared occasionally on other television programmes, as well as on various BBC radio programmes.
In February 1957 he returned once again to the BBC to succeed Cecil McGivern
Cecil McGivern
Cecil McGivern CBE was a British broadcasting executive, who initially worked for BBC Radio before transferring to BBC Television in the late 1940s....
as the Controller of Programmes at the BBC Television Service
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. He occupied this post for four years until 1961, when he was promoted to become the BBC's overall Director of Television. He remained in this role until 1968, when he reached the BBC's compulsory retirement age of sixty.
Retirement
Following his retirement he often lectured on broadcasting matters at seminars in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, being made Visiting Professor of Communications at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, Philadelphia. He also wrote a frank series of articles on his time at the BBC for the Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
newspaper in 1969, and in later years was variously a Governor of Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
; of the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
; a member of the councils of the National Youth Theatre
National Youth Theatre
The National Youth Theatre is a registered charity in London, Great Britain, committed to creative, personal and social development of young people through the medium of creative arts....
; the Tavistock Institute
Tavistock Institute
The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations is a British charity concerned with group behaviour and organisational behaviour. It was launched in 1946, when it separated from the Tavistock Clinic.-History of the Tavistock:...
; the British Travel Association and Industrial Design
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...
. In 1962 he had been awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, and he was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
.
He was married to his wife, Ruth, from 1932 to her death in 1977. They had three sons and a daughter, the journalist Corinna Adam, all of whom survived him.