Mary Ann Sieghart
Encyclopedia
Mary Ann Sieghart is a former assistant editor of The Times
, where she wrote columns about politics, social affairs and life generally. She now writes a weekly political column in The Independent
and presents Profile and Beyond Westminster on Radio 4. She is also chair of the Social Market Foundation
, a non-executive director of Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust and sits on the Council of Tate Modern.
, magistrate and later managing director of the Aldeburgh Cinema. She attended both state and private schools and graduated with a first-class degree in PPE
from Wadham College, Oxford
. While she was there, she worked for The Daily Telegraph
in her vacations.
(face blindness), she (and several members of her family) struggle to recognise faces.
Correspondent and then a Lex columnist. She spent a summer in 1984 working for The Washington Post
, as the Laurence Stern Fellow
. From the FT, she was recruited to be City Editor of Today
newspaper at its launch in 1986. When it was taken over by Tiny Rowland
, she moved to The Economist to be Political Correspondent. She also presented The World This Week on Channel 4
.
In 1988, she joined The Times, as editor of the comment pages. During her time there, she was also Arts Editor, Chief Political leader-writer and acting editor of the paper on Sundays. In 1995, she chaired the revival of The Brains Trust
on BBC2.
Sieghart is a regular broadcaster. She currently presents Profile and Beyond Westminster on Radio 4 and presented Newshour on the BBC World Service from 2008 to 2010. She has often appeared on programmes such as Question Time
, Any Questions, Newsnight
, Today
, The World Tonight
and Woman's Hour
. She was a regular co-presenter of Start the Week
during the time Melvyn Bragg
was the programme's main presenter and has been a guest presenter of The Week in Westminster and Dispatch Box.
, described Sieghart as "very talented" but criticised her assumption that broadsheet journalism in newspapers like The Times was intrinsically better or more effective than tabloid journalism.
Sieghart has been regularly mocked in the satirical magazine Private Eye
as 'Mary Ann Bighead'. In particular, her references to her daughters are satirised as 'Brainella' and 'Intelligencia'.
and a trustee of the Radcliffe Trust. She has served as a trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund
and National Heritage Memorial Fund
, vice-chair of the North Fulham New Deal for Communities, steering committee member of the No Campaign and New Europe, member of the Advisory Board of the Social Studies Faculty at Oxford University and various other voluntary posts.
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, where she wrote columns about politics, social affairs and life generally. She now writes a weekly political column in The Independent
The 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...
and presents Profile and Beyond Westminster on Radio 4. She is also chair of the Social Market Foundation
Social Market Foundation
The Social Market Foundation is a British public policy think-tank based in Westminster, London. It was set up by supporters of David Owen after the Social Democratic Party was disbanded in the late 1980s. It aims to promote and produce policies supporting the “social market”...
, a non-executive director of Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust and sits on the Council of Tate Modern.
Biography
Sieghart was born in 1961, the daughter of Paul Sieghart, a human rights lawyer, campaigner, broadcaster and author, and Felicity Ann Sieghart, chairman of the National Association for Gifted ChildrenNational Association for Gifted Children
The National Association for Gifted Children is an association in the United Kingdom for gifted and talented children, and their parents. It is a registered charity under English law.-Function:...
, magistrate and later managing director of the Aldeburgh Cinema. She attended both state and private schools and graduated with a first-class degree in PPE
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, politics, and economics is a popular interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate degree which combines study from the three disciplines...
from Wadham College, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. While she was there, she worked for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
in her vacations.
Health
Suffering from the medical condition prosopagnosiaProsopagnosia
Prosopagnosia is a disorder of face perception where the ability to recognize faces is impaired, while the ability to recognize other objects may be relatively intact...
(face blindness), she (and several members of her family) struggle to recognise faces.
Career
After Oxford, Sieghart joined The Financial Times, where she became EurobondEurobond
A Eurobond is an international bond that is denominated in a currency not native to the country where it is issued. It can be categorised according to the currency in which it is issued. London is one of the centers of the Eurobond market, but Eurobonds may be traded throughout the world - for...
Correspondent and then a Lex columnist. She spent a summer in 1984 working for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, as the Laurence Stern Fellow
Laurence Stern fellowship
The Laurence Stern fellowship is an annual summer internship program for British journalists at the Washington Post. The internship was established in honour of Post journalist, Laurence Stern. A fund for the program is managed by the National Press Foundation. Awardees are selected by the Post...
. From the FT, she was recruited to be City Editor of Today
Today (UK newspaper)
Today was a national newspaper in the United Kingdom, which was published between 1986 and 1995.-History:Today, with the American newspaper USA Today as inspiration, launched on Tuesday, 4 March 1986, with the front page headline, "Second Spy Inside GCHQ". At 18 pence, it was a middle-market...
newspaper at its launch in 1986. When it was taken over by Tiny Rowland
Tiny Rowland
Roland "Tiny" Rowland was a British businessman and chairman of the Lonrho conglomerate from 1962 to 1994...
, she moved to The Economist to be Political Correspondent. She also presented The World This Week on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
In 1988, she joined The Times, as editor of the comment pages. During her time there, she was also Arts Editor, Chief Political leader-writer and acting editor of the paper on Sundays. In 1995, she chaired the revival of The Brains Trust
The Brains Trust
The Brains Trust was a popular informational BBC radio and later television programme in the United Kingdom during the 1940s and 50s.- History :...
on BBC2.
Sieghart is a regular broadcaster. She currently presents Profile and Beyond Westminster on Radio 4 and presented Newshour on the BBC World Service from 2008 to 2010. She has often appeared on programmes such as Question Time
Question Time (TV series)
Question Time is a topical debate BBC television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions?. The show typically features politicians from at least the three major political parties as well as other public figures who answer questions put to them by the audience...
, Any Questions, Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
, Today
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
, The World Tonight
The World Tonight
The World Tonight is a British current affairs radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4, every weekday evening, which started out as an extension of the 10pm news. It features news, analysis and comment on domestic and world issues...
and Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
. She was a regular co-presenter of Start the Week
Start the Week
Start the Week is a discussion programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 which began in April 1970. The current presenter is the former BBC political editor Andrew Marr...
during the time Melvyn Bragg
Melvyn Bragg
Melvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg FRSL FRTS FBA, FRS FRSA is an English broadcaster and author best known for his work with the BBC and for presenting the The South Bank Show...
was the programme's main presenter and has been a guest presenter of The Week in Westminster and Dispatch Box.
Criticism
In 2003, Bill Hagerty, editor of the British Journalism ReviewBritish Journalism Review
British Journalism Review is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes papers four times a year in the field of Media Studies. The journal's editor is Bill Hagerty...
, described Sieghart as "very talented" but criticised her assumption that broadsheet journalism in newspapers like The Times was intrinsically better or more effective than tabloid journalism.
Sieghart has been regularly mocked in the satirical magazine Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
as 'Mary Ann Bighead'. In particular, her references to her daughters are satirised as 'Brainella' and 'Intelligencia'.
Other activities
Sieghart is chair of the Social Market Foundation, a Non-Executive Director of Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust, a Member of the Council of Tate ModernTate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
and a trustee of the Radcliffe Trust. She has served as a trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
and National Heritage Memorial Fund
National Heritage Memorial Fund
The National Heritage Memorial Fund is a non-departmental public body set up under the National Heritage Act 1980 in memory of people who gave their lives for the United Kingdom....
, vice-chair of the North Fulham New Deal for Communities, steering committee member of the No Campaign and New Europe, member of the Advisory Board of the Social Studies Faculty at Oxford University and various other voluntary posts.