Mark Ellen
Encyclopedia
Mark Ellen is an award winning magazine editor, journalist
and broadcaster
who lives in West London
.
Whilst at Oxford University in the 1970s, he briefly played bass in the band Ugly Rumours
alongside Tony Blair
. A band, which according to Ellen existed primarily to meet "exciting girls in floral print dresses"
After graduating, he wrote for Record Mirror
, NME
and Time Out before signing up as Features Editor of Smash Hits
in 1981, where he became the editor in 1983. He was the launch editor of Q
, the re-launch editor of Select, and the launch managing editor of Mojo
. He later became the Editor-in-chief of EMAP
Metro overseeing 14 consumer magazines but he left Emap after 16 years to join the independent publishing company; Development Hell in 2002.
He also has a long broadcasting career which includes contributions to BBC Radio
1 as stand-ins for David "Kid" Jensen and John Peel
. He presented the BBC
's Whistle Test from 1982-1987. He also co-presented the Live Aid
TV broadcast in 1985.
Ellen is currently editor of The Word, a UK music magazine which he started with long-time colleague, business partner and Whistle Test co-presenter David Hepworth
. The first issue was published in February 2003 and the magazine celebrated its 50th issue in March 2007.
His awards include the PPA
's Magazine Of The Year for Q and the British Society Of Magazine Editors' special Mark Boxer Award in 2003. He won also the BSME's Editor's Editor Award in 2005 and again in 2011.
He is a keen diver, cyclist and a connoisseur of champagne. He supports QPR FC.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
who lives in West London
London
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...
.
Whilst at Oxford University in the 1970s, he briefly played bass in the band Ugly Rumours
Ugly Rumours (band)
Ugly Rumours was the name of a rock band founded in part by former UK prime minister Tony Blair, while studying law at St John's College, Oxford during the early 1970s; he sang and played guitar...
alongside Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
. A band, which according to Ellen existed primarily to meet "exciting girls in floral print dresses"
After graduating, he wrote for Record Mirror
Record Mirror
Record Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
and Time Out before signing up as Features Editor of Smash Hits
Smash Hits
Smash Hits was a pop music based magazine, aimed at teenagers and young adults and originally published in the United Kingdom by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006 and was issued fortnightly for most of that time...
in 1981, where he became the editor in 1983. He was the launch editor of Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
, the re-launch editor of Select, and the launch managing editor of Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
. He later became the Editor-in-chief of EMAP
EMAP
Emap Limited is a British media company, specialising in the production of business-to-business magazines, and the organisation of business events and conferences...
Metro overseeing 14 consumer magazines but he left Emap after 16 years to join the independent publishing company; Development Hell in 2002.
He also has a long broadcasting career which includes contributions to 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...
1 as stand-ins for David "Kid" Jensen and John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
. He presented 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...
's Whistle Test from 1982-1987. He also co-presented the Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
TV broadcast in 1985.
Ellen is currently editor of The Word, a UK music magazine which he started with long-time colleague, business partner and Whistle Test co-presenter David Hepworth
David Hepworth
David Hepworth is a journalist and music writer responsible for the launch of many British magazines.Born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, Hepworth attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield and Trent Park College of Education, Barnet...
. The first issue was published in February 2003 and the magazine celebrated its 50th issue in March 2007.
His awards include the PPA
Periodical Publishers Association
The Professional Publishers Association - formerly known as the Periodical Publishers Association - is a publishing industry body which promotes and protects the interests of companies involved in the production of consumer, customer and business media in the United Kingdom.The PPA's work is...
's Magazine Of The Year for Q and the British Society Of Magazine Editors' special Mark Boxer Award in 2003. He won also the BSME's Editor's Editor Award in 2005 and again in 2011.
He is a keen diver, cyclist and a connoisseur of champagne. He supports QPR FC.