Leonard Miall
Encyclopedia
Rowland Leonard Miall was a broadcaster and administrator at the BBC
for 35 years, from 1939 to 1974. In retirement, he became a research historian, studying the history of broadcasting.
and educated at Bootham School
in York
. He learned German
at Freiburg University, and read economics and law at St John's College, Cambridge
. He was President of the Cambridge Union Society
and Editor of the Cambridge Review.
and sent to work on psychological warfare
in New York
and San Francisco. He returned to London in 1944, and then worked in the Psychological Warfare Division
of SHAEF in Luxembourg
.
He returned to the BBC in 1945, and was briefly a special correspondent in Czechoslovakia
. He became the BBC's American correspondent from 1945 to 1953, covering nearly all of the Harry Truman's presidency, and the first year of Dwight D. Eisenhower
's. Although based in Washington, D.C.
, he visited all of the then 48 U.S. states. His radio broadcasts made his voice a familiar feature of BBC news coverage.
In June 1947, he reported a speech at Harvard by George Marshall
, on reconstruction in Europe. Ernest Bevin
, then British Foreign Secretary, heard the broadcast, and was spurred to press ahead with what became the Marshall Plan
for the nations of Europe to rebuild their economies after the war.
When Miall returned the London, he served head of "television talks" - documentaries and current affairs - at BBC television from 1954, assisted by Grace Wyndham Goldie
and based at Lime Grove. During that period, programmes such as Monitor
, Tonight
and The Sky at Night
were created; Panorama
was relaunched; and David Attenborough
began his wildlife broadcasting career.
Miall was promoted to assistant controller at the BBC in 1961, in charge of the planning for the new BBC television channel, BBC2, which began broadcasting in 1964. He was appointed OBE
in 1961.
After a period as Assistant Controller for Programme Services, Television, Miall returned to America in 1966 to run the BBC's New York office, in charge of editing news coverage and also selling BBC costume drama
s to American television channels. He returned to London in 1971 to become controller of overseas and foreign relations. He was involved in the establishment of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association
. He retired in 1974.
from 1987, and published a book, Inside The BBC: British broadcasting characters, in 1994.
Miall married Lorna Rackham, in 1941, and together they had three sons and a daughter. She died in 1974. He married his second wife, Sally Bicknell (née Leith), in 1975, becoming the stepfather of Stephen Bicknell
and his three older brothers. He retired to Taplow
in Berkshire
, where he died a few months after celebrating his 90th birthday.
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...
for 35 years, from 1939 to 1974. In retirement, he became a research historian, studying the history of broadcasting.
Early life
Miall was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and educated at Bootham School
Bootham School
Bootham School is an independent Quaker boarding school in the city of York in North Yorkshire, England. It was founded by the Religious Society of Friends in 1823. It is close to York Minster. The current headmaster is Jonathan Taylor. The school's motto Membra Sumus Corporis Magni means "We...
in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. He learned German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
at Freiburg University, and read economics and law at 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....
. He was President of the Cambridge Union Society
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 Editor of the Cambridge Review.
BBC career
Miall joined the European Service of the BBC in early 1939. He took charge of broadcasts in German until 1942, when was seconded to the Political Warfare ExecutivePolitical Warfare Executive
During World War II, the Political Warfare Executive was a British clandestine body created to produce and disseminate both white and black propaganda, with the aim of damaging enemy morale and sustaining the morale of the Occupied countries....
and sent to work on psychological warfare
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and San Francisco. He returned to London in 1944, and then worked in the Psychological Warfare Division
Psychological Warfare Division
The Psychological Warfare Division of SHAEF was a joint Anglo-American organisation set-up in World War II tasked with conducting principally 'white' tactical psychological warfare against German troops in North-west Europe during and after D-Day. It was headed by US Brigadier-General Robert A...
of SHAEF in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
.
He returned to the BBC in 1945, and was briefly a special correspondent in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. He became the BBC's American correspondent from 1945 to 1953, covering nearly all of the Harry Truman's presidency, and the first year of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
's. Although based in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, he visited all of the then 48 U.S. states. His radio broadcasts made his voice a familiar feature of BBC news coverage.
In June 1947, he reported a speech at Harvard by George Marshall
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
, on reconstruction in Europe. Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin was a British trade union leader and Labour politician. He served as general secretary of the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union from 1922 to 1945, as Minister of Labour in the war-time coalition government, and as Foreign Secretary in the post-war Labour Government.-Early...
, then British Foreign Secretary, heard the broadcast, and was spurred to press ahead with what became the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
for the nations of Europe to rebuild their economies after the war.
When Miall returned the London, he served head of "television talks" - documentaries and current affairs - at BBC television from 1954, assisted by Grace Wyndham Goldie
Grace Wyndham Goldie
Grace Wyndham Goldie was an important innovatory producer in British television for twenty years, particularly in the fields of politics and current affairs. During her career at the BBC, she held her own as one of the few senior women in an establishment dominated by men...
and based at Lime Grove. During that period, programmes such as Monitor
Monitor (TV series)
Monitor was a BBC arts programme that was launched on 1 September 1958 and ran until 1965.Huw Wheldon was the first editor from 1958 to 1964. He was also the principal interviewer and anchor...
, Tonight
Tonight (1957 TV series)
Tonight was a BBC television current affairs programme presented by Cliff Michelmore and broadcast in Britain live on weekday evenings from February 1957 to 1965. The producers were the future Controller of BBC1 Donald Baverstock and the future Director-General of the BBC Alasdair Milne...
and The Sky at Night
The Sky at Night
The Sky at Night is a monthly documentary television programme on astronomy produced by the BBC. The show has had the same permanent presenter, Sir Patrick Moore, from its first airing on 24 April 1957, making it the longest-running programme with the same presenter in television history.The...
were created; Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
was relaunched; and David Attenborough
David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FZS, FSA is a British broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years...
began his wildlife broadcasting career.
Miall was promoted to assistant controller at the BBC in 1961, in charge of the planning for the new BBC television channel, BBC2, which began broadcasting in 1964. He was appointed OBE
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...
in 1961.
After a period as Assistant Controller for Programme Services, Television, Miall returned to America in 1966 to run the BBC's New York office, in charge of editing news coverage and also selling BBC costume drama
Costume drama
A costume drama or period drama is a period piece in which elaborate costumes, sets and properties are featured in order to capture the ambiance of a particular era.The term is usually used in the context of film and television...
s to American television channels. He returned to London in 1971 to become controller of overseas and foreign relations. He was involved in the establishment of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association
Commonwealth Broadcasting Association
Founded in 1945, the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association is a representative body for public service broadcasters throughout the Commonwealth. A not-for-profit non-government organisation, the CBA is funded by subscriptions from 102 members and affiliates from 53 countries...
. He retired in 1974.
Later life
In retirement, he researched broadcasting history. He became a consultant research historian at the BBC, and assisted Professor Asa Briggs in producing the official History Of Broadcasting In The United Kingdom. He also wrote obituaries for The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
from 1987, and published a book, Inside The BBC: British broadcasting characters, in 1994.
Miall married Lorna Rackham, in 1941, and together they had three sons and a daughter. She died in 1974. He married his second wife, Sally Bicknell (née Leith), in 1975, becoming the stepfather of Stephen Bicknell
Stephen Bicknell
Stephen Bicknell was a leading British organ builder and writer about the organ.-Early and family life:...
and his three older brothers. He retired to Taplow
Taplow
Taplow is a village and civil parish within South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the east bank of the River Thames facing Maidenhead on the opposite bank. Taplow railway station is situated near the A4 south of the village....
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, where he died a few months after celebrating his 90th birthday.