Paul Fox
Encyclopedia
Sir Paul Leonard Fox, CBE
, (born October 27, 1925) is a British television
executive, who spent much of his broadcasting career working for BBC Television
, most prominently as the Controller of BBC One
between 1967 and 1973.
and served in the Parachute Regiment, 1943-46. He began his career at the Corporation in the 1950s, writing scripts for the Television Newsreel
programme before going on to create and edit the popular sports programme Sportsview. While editing Sportsview, in 1954 he hit upon the idea of creating the annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year
award, a glittering ceremony which is still held every December by the Corporation and seen as one of the major events in UK
sport.
By the early 1960s he had been promoted to Head of Public Affairs at BBC Television, and in this role was heavily involved in the news coverage of the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
in 1963 and the subsequent reaction to the events in the UK.
In 1967 he became the Controller of BBC1
a post he held for six years, one of the longest reigns of any BBC Channel Controller. His achievements in the role included the launch of the enduring Dad's Army
and overseeing the transition of BBC1 into colour in 1969. He also commissioned The Two Ronnies
, Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game and the Parkinson
talk show in 1971. All the Moon landings of Project Apollo
occurred during his tenure, and Fox allocated generous time on his network for coverage
.
(YTV) from 1977 to 1988, during which he was quite vocal in his disapproval of the ultimately unsuccessful poaching in 1985 of Dallas from the BBC by fellow ITV
contractor Thames Television
. This permanently soured his relationship with Thames executive Bryan Cowgill
, who had been a former colleague at the BBC. Whilst at YTV he was prominent in representing the managerial view in the industrial dispute between members of the ACTT trade union
and the ITV
companies, which blacked out the network for three months in 1979. He was Chairman of ITN from 1986 to 1988 and later Managing Director of BBC Network Television (1988–91). He was subsequently knighted (in 1991) and was honoured with a CBE in 1985.
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...
, (born October 27, 1925) is a British television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
executive, who spent much of his broadcasting career working for BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
, most prominently as the Controller of BBC One
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...
between 1967 and 1973.
Early life
Fox was educated in BournemouthBournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
and served in the Parachute Regiment, 1943-46. He began his career at the Corporation in the 1950s, writing scripts for the Television Newsreel
Television Newsreel
Television Newsreel was a British television programme, the first regular news programme to be made in the UK. Produced by the BBC and screened on the BBC Television Service from 1948 to 1954 at 7.30pm, it adapted the traditional cinema newsreel form for the television audience, covering news and...
programme before going on to create and edit the popular sports programme Sportsview. While editing Sportsview, in 1954 he hit upon the idea of creating the annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year
BBC Sports Personality of the Year
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of one titular award. Several new awards have been introduced, and , eight awards are presented. The oldest of these are the Team of the Year and...
award, a glittering ceremony which is still held every December by the Corporation and seen as one of the major events in UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sport.
By the early 1960s he had been promoted to Head of Public Affairs at BBC Television, and in this role was heavily involved in the news coverage of the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
in 1963 and the subsequent reaction to the events in the UK.
In 1967 he became the Controller of BBC1
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...
a post he held for six years, one of the longest reigns of any BBC Channel Controller. His achievements in the role included the launch of the enduring Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
and overseeing the transition of BBC1 into colour in 1969. He also commissioned The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies is a British sketch show that aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the "Two Ronnies" of the title.-Origins:...
, Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game and the Parkinson
Parkinson (TV series)
Parkinson is a British television talk show that was presented by Sir Michael Parkinson. It was first shown on the BBC from 1971 to 2004, and on ITV from 2004 to 2007.-Background:...
talk show in 1971. All the Moon landings of Project Apollo
Project Apollo
The Apollo program was the spaceflight effort carried out by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration , that landed the first humans on Earth's Moon. Conceived during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Apollo began in earnest after President John F...
occurred during his tenure, and Fox allocated generous time on his network for coverage
British television Apollo 11 coverage
British television coverage of Apollo 11, man's first mission to land on the moon, lasted from 16 to 24 July 1969 . All the then three UK channels BBC1, BBC2 and ITV provided extensive coverage...
.
Later life
He was later the Managing Director of Yorkshire TelevisionYorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
(YTV) from 1977 to 1988, during which he was quite vocal in his disapproval of the ultimately unsuccessful poaching in 1985 of Dallas from the BBC by fellow 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...
contractor Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
. This permanently soured his relationship with Thames executive Bryan Cowgill
Bryan Cowgill
Bryan Cowgill was a senior British television executive. He was Head of Sport for BBC Television from 1963–1973, Controller of BBC One from 1973–1977, and Managing Director of Thames TV from 1977-1985.-Early life:...
, who had been a former colleague at the BBC. Whilst at YTV he was prominent in representing the managerial view in the industrial dispute between members of the ACTT trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
and the 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...
companies, which blacked out the network for three months in 1979. He was Chairman of ITN from 1986 to 1988 and later Managing Director of BBC Network Television (1988–91). He was subsequently knighted (in 1991) and was honoured with a CBE in 1985.