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George Entwistle
George Edward Entwistle[citation needed] (born 8 July 1962) is a former broadcasting executive, who was Director-General of the BBC during 2012, succeeding Mark Thompson. After a career in magazine journalism, he joined BBC Television in 1989, becoming a producer with a primary focus on factual and political programmes. He rose to become the director of BBC Vision, and became the Director-General of the BBC on 17 September 2012.
Entwistle resigned as Director-General on 10 November 2012, following investigations into BBC management and conduct following revelations the broadcaster had known about sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile and controversy over a Newsnight report which falsely implicated Lord McAlpine in the North Wales child abuse scandal. His resignation after just 54 days in the role made him the shortest-serving Director-General in the history of the BBC.
Entwistle was born on 8 July 1962, the son of Philip and Wendy Entwistle. He was educated at Silcoates School, an independent school for boys (now co-educational), in the village of Wrenthorpe, near Wakefield in West Yorkshire. He then went on to study at the University of Durham (University College) in the city of Durham in north-east England, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Philosophy and Politics, in 1983.
From 1984 to 1989, Entwistle worked as a writer and editor at Haymarket Magazines. In particular, he worked as editor of New HiFi Sound, as well as reviewing classical music.
In 1989, Entwistle joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a broadcast journalism trainee. From 1990 to 1992, he was an Assistant Producer on Panorama. In January 1993, he became one of the Producers of the BBC One Sunday politics show On The Record. Between 1994 and 1999, he held the positions of producer, assistant editor, and finally deputy editor at BBC Two's Newsnight. He became deputy editor of BBC One's Tomorrow's World in 1999. After two years in the science department of the BBC, he returned to Newsnight as the deputy editor. He was promoted to editor of Newsnight on 10 September 2001 and served in that position until 2004. During his tenure, the show won five Royal Television Society awards, including Best News Programme, and a Broadcast Award, and was nominated for the Best News Programme BAFTA.
In 2004, Entwistle was appointed executive editor of Topical Arts on BBC Two and BBC Four. In November of that year, he launched The Culture Show on BBC Two. In late 2005, he was appointed Head of Television Current Affairs at the BBC. From May to December 2007, he was the Acting Controller of BBC Four in place of Janice Hadlow. In January 2008, he became the Controller of Knowledge Commissioning. He was responsible for commissioning 1600 hours of TV programmes across BBC One, Two, Three and Four each year, and was in overall control of the BBC's online factual and learning content. On 27 April 2011, he was appointed Director of BBC Vision. In the role he was responsible for the television channels BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC One HD and BBC HD, and the feature film-making arm of the BBC, BBC Films.
On 4 July 2012, the Chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, announced that Entwistle had been appointed to succeed Mark Thompson as Director-General of the BBC. He took up the post on 17 September 2012. Entwistle described himself as the "right person for the job".
Following Entwistle's departure Greg Dyke, a previous Director-General who had himself been persuaded to resign under controversial circumstances, offered his insights on the Entwistle affair:
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George Entwistle
George Edward Entwistle[citation needed] (born 8 July 1962) is a former broadcasting executive, who was Director-General of the BBC during 2012, succeeding Mark Thompson. After a career in magazine journalism, he joined BBC Television in 1989, becoming a producer with a primary focus on factual and political programmes. He rose to become the director of BBC Vision, and became the Director-General of the BBC on 17 September 2012.
Entwistle resigned as Director-General on 10 November 2012, following investigations into BBC management and conduct following revelations the broadcaster had known about sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile and controversy over a Newsnight report which falsely implicated Lord McAlpine in the North Wales child abuse scandal. His resignation after just 54 days in the role made him the shortest-serving Director-General in the history of the BBC.
Entwistle was born on 8 July 1962, the son of Philip and Wendy Entwistle. He was educated at Silcoates School, an independent school for boys (now co-educational), in the village of Wrenthorpe, near Wakefield in West Yorkshire. He then went on to study at the University of Durham (University College) in the city of Durham in north-east England, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Philosophy and Politics, in 1983.
From 1984 to 1989, Entwistle worked as a writer and editor at Haymarket Magazines. In particular, he worked as editor of New HiFi Sound, as well as reviewing classical music.
In 1989, Entwistle joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a broadcast journalism trainee. From 1990 to 1992, he was an Assistant Producer on Panorama. In January 1993, he became one of the Producers of the BBC One Sunday politics show On The Record. Between 1994 and 1999, he held the positions of producer, assistant editor, and finally deputy editor at BBC Two's Newsnight. He became deputy editor of BBC One's Tomorrow's World in 1999. After two years in the science department of the BBC, he returned to Newsnight as the deputy editor. He was promoted to editor of Newsnight on 10 September 2001 and served in that position until 2004. During his tenure, the show won five Royal Television Society awards, including Best News Programme, and a Broadcast Award, and was nominated for the Best News Programme BAFTA.
In 2004, Entwistle was appointed executive editor of Topical Arts on BBC Two and BBC Four. In November of that year, he launched The Culture Show on BBC Two. In late 2005, he was appointed Head of Television Current Affairs at the BBC. From May to December 2007, he was the Acting Controller of BBC Four in place of Janice Hadlow. In January 2008, he became the Controller of Knowledge Commissioning. He was responsible for commissioning 1600 hours of TV programmes across BBC One, Two, Three and Four each year, and was in overall control of the BBC's online factual and learning content. On 27 April 2011, he was appointed Director of BBC Vision. In the role he was responsible for the television channels BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC One HD and BBC HD, and the feature film-making arm of the BBC, BBC Films.
On 4 July 2012, the Chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, announced that Entwistle had been appointed to succeed Mark Thompson as Director-General of the BBC. He took up the post on 17 September 2012. Entwistle described himself as the "right person for the job".
Following Entwistle's departure Greg Dyke, a previous Director-General who had himself been persuaded to resign under controversial circumstances, offered his insights on the Entwistle affair: