Norman Collins
Encyclopedia
Norman Collins was a British writer, and later a radio and television executive, who became one of the major figures behind the establishment of the Independent Television
(ITV) network in the UK. This was the first organisation to break the BBC
’s broadcasting monopoly when it began transmitting in 1955.
) in the 1930s. After 1935 he worked in broadcasting as a producer for BBC Radio
. In 1946 he was appointed the Controller of the Light Programme
, the BBC’s more populist, entertainment-based radio service which had grown out of the BBC Forces Programme
first established to entertain allied troops, but which had also become hugely popular with domestic audiences, during the Second World War.
At the Light Programme he created two of the most iconic programmes in the history of British radio broadcasting. The first of these was the adventure series Dick Barton: Special Agent
, which ran for 711 episodes between 1946 and 1951, following the adventures of a dashing secret agent. The series, broadcast in the early evening just after the main news bulletin, was phenomenally popular and drew 15 million listeners at its peak, being fondly remembered and occasionally revived for many years afterwards. The second famous programme Collins initiated was the incredibly long-lived Woman's Hour
, first broadcast in 1946 and still running every weekday on BBC Radio 4
.
Collins’ huge success as Controller of the Light Programme led to his appointment in 1947 as Controller of the BBC Television Service
, during which time it began to take its first steps into becoming a truly mass medium, with television licence
numbers breaking into six figures for the first time. This was helped by the extension of broadcasting beyond London with the opening of transmitters in other major cities such as Birmingham
, and also by the appeal of the programming Collins and his team were able to offer. Perhaps the high point of his time in control of the channel was the broadcasting live on television of much of the 1948 Olympic Games, being held predominantly in London at Wembley Stadium, where the majority of the BBC’s television cameras were placed for the duration of the games.
Despite a generally successful tenure as Controller, Collins resigned from the BBC in October 1950, when one of the Corporation’s radio executives, George Barnes
, was appointed as his superior – he believed that he, as Controller of Television, should not have to answer to a man whose background was in sound broadcasting. Collins left the BBC with a strong desire to see the establishment of a televisual competitor to the Corporation, which since the 1920s had held a complete monopoly on broadcasting in the UK, both radio and television.
In 1953, Collins and two of his business partners Robert Renwick and C.O. Stanley (of the Pye electronics firm) together with several others, formed the Popular Television Association, campaigning more publicly for the establishment of an independent broadcaster, writing to the government to point out the inherent dangers of a single broadcaster holding a monopoly as the BBC did and making an equally strong campaign in the press. Their lobbying was successful, and in early 1954 the government passed the Television Act
, which opened the way for the creation of the new network under the auspices of the newly formed Independent Television Authority
(ITA).
network, Collins, Renwick and Stanley formed a new company, Associated Broadcasting Development Company Limited (ABDC) to apply for one of the franchises. ABDC’s bid was reliant on them winning the main London franchise – at this time, the ITV franchises for the major regions (London, Midlands and the North) were split into two, one for Mondays to Fridays and one for weekends. However, when they won only the London weekend and Midlands Monday to Friday licenses, their backers withdrew and the ITA prohibited Collins and his colleagues accepting extra funding from the Daily Express
newspaper.
An answer was found in the form of a merger with Lew Grade
’s ITC Entertainment
, which had failed to win a franchise of its own as the ITA was afraid such a powerful organisation would dominate the other network companies. The new company thus formed was to be called the Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC), but rival franchise holder Associated British Corporation
pointed out that they already held rights to this name, so Associated TeleVision
(ATV) was decided upon as a substitute.
Collins took on the role of Deputy Chairman of ATV, but was effectively sidelined by the force of personality of the company's other senior directors, Prince Littler
and Lew Grade
.
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...
(ITV) network in the UK. This was the first organisation to break 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 broadcasting monopoly when it began transmitting in 1955.
Early Career in Publishing, the Press and the BBC
Collins began his career as an editorial assistant at the Oxford University Press in London. He left around 1930, apparently after a dispute over his low salary, and went to work under Robert Lynd as a Literary Editor on the London News Chronicle newspaper. Meanwhile he wrote novels, publishing several successful works such as London Belongs to Me (which was later filmedLondon Belongs to Me
London Belongs to Me is a 1948 British film directed by Sidney Gilliat and starring Richard Attenborough and Alastair Sim. It was based on the novel of the same name by Norman Collins...
) in the 1930s. After 1935 he worked in broadcasting as a producer 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 1946 he was appointed the Controller of the 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...
, the BBC’s more populist, entertainment-based radio service which had grown out of the BBC Forces Programme
BBC Forces Programme
The BBC Forces Programme was a BBC radio station which operated from 7 January 1940 until 26 February 1944.-Foundation:Upon the outbreak of World War II, the BBC closed the existing BBC National Programme and BBC Regional Programme, combining the two to form a single channel known as the BBC Home...
first established to entertain allied troops, but which had also become hugely popular with domestic audiences, during the Second World War.
At the Light Programme he created two of the most iconic programmes in the history of British radio broadcasting. The first of these was the adventure series Dick Barton: Special Agent
Dick Barton
Dick Barton - Special Agent was a popular radio programme on the BBC Light Programme. Between 1946 to 1951 it aired at 6.45 each weekday evening and at its peak it had an audience of 15 million listeners. Despite popular belief, it was not actually the BBC's first daily serial...
, which ran for 711 episodes between 1946 and 1951, following the adventures of a dashing secret agent. The series, broadcast in the early evening just after the main news bulletin, was phenomenally popular and drew 15 million listeners at its peak, being fondly remembered and occasionally revived for many years afterwards. The second famous programme Collins initiated was the incredibly long-lived 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...
, first broadcast in 1946 and still running every weekday on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
.
Collins’ huge success as Controller of the Light Programme led to his appointment in 1947 as 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...
, during which time it began to take its first steps into becoming a truly mass medium, with television licence
Television licence
A television licence is an official licence required in many countries for the reception of television broadcasts...
numbers breaking into six figures for the first time. This was helped by the extension of broadcasting beyond London with the opening of transmitters in other major cities such as Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, and also by the appeal of the programming Collins and his team were able to offer. Perhaps the high point of his time in control of the channel was the broadcasting live on television of much of the 1948 Olympic Games, being held predominantly in London at Wembley Stadium, where the majority of the BBC’s television cameras were placed for the duration of the games.
Despite a generally successful tenure as Controller, Collins resigned from the BBC in October 1950, when one of the Corporation’s radio executives, George Barnes
George Barnes (BBC)
Sir George Reginald Barnes was a British broadcasting executive, who was a station Controller of both BBC Radio and later BBC Television in the 1940s and 1950s...
, was appointed as his superior – he believed that he, as Controller of Television, should not have to answer to a man whose background was in sound broadcasting. Collins left the BBC with a strong desire to see the establishment of a televisual competitor to the Corporation, which since the 1920s had held a complete monopoly on broadcasting in the UK, both radio and television.
Campaigning for competition
To this end, Collins and some financial backers established a company called High Definition Films Limited in 1951, the stated aim of which was to improve the telerecording process (by which television programmes were recorded onto film for repeat broadcasts, sales or posterity), but which in reality functioned as an official group to lobby for competition in television broadcasting.In 1953, Collins and two of his business partners Robert Renwick and C.O. Stanley (of the Pye electronics firm) together with several others, formed the Popular Television Association, campaigning more publicly for the establishment of an independent broadcaster, writing to the government to point out the inherent dangers of a single broadcaster holding a monopoly as the BBC did and making an equally strong campaign in the press. Their lobbying was successful, and in early 1954 the government passed the Television Act
Television Act 1954
The Television Act 1954 was a British law which permitted the creation of the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom, ITV....
, which opened the way for the creation of the new network under the auspices of the newly formed Independent Television Authority
Independent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
(ITA).
Founding ATV
When the ITA invited bids from interested companies for the various local franchises that would make up the ITVITV
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...
network, Collins, Renwick and Stanley formed a new company, Associated Broadcasting Development Company Limited (ABDC) to apply for one of the franchises. ABDC’s bid was reliant on them winning the main London franchise – at this time, the ITV franchises for the major regions (London, Midlands and the North) were split into two, one for Mondays to Fridays and one for weekends. However, when they won only the London weekend and Midlands Monday to Friday licenses, their backers withdrew and the ITA prohibited Collins and his colleagues accepting extra funding from the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
newspaper.
An answer was found in the form of a merger with Lew Grade
Lew Grade
Lew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Russian-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
’s ITC Entertainment
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
, which had failed to win a franchise of its own as the ITA was afraid such a powerful organisation would dominate the other network companies. The new company thus formed was to be called the Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC), but rival franchise holder Associated British Corporation
Associated British Corporation
Associated British Corporation was one of a number of commercial television companies established in the United Kingdom during the 1950s by cinema chain companies in an attempt to safeguard their business by becoming involved with television which was taking away their cinema audiences.In this...
pointed out that they already held rights to this name, so Associated TeleVision
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
(ATV) was decided upon as a substitute.
Collins took on the role of Deputy Chairman of ATV, but was effectively sidelined by the force of personality of the company's other senior directors, Prince Littler
Prince Littler
Prince Frank Littler CBE was an influential British theatre impresario. He was also one of the major investors and a company director of Associated TeleVision, the second ITV network contractor to begin broadcasting in 1955.His brother Emile and sister Blanche were also major figures in the theatre...
and Lew Grade
Lew Grade
Lew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Russian-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
.