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26:(20 December 1930 – 4 November 2023) was a British writer and producer who was involved in the introduction and development of commercial radio and television in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s. He held various posts such as Managing Director of Capital Radio, Director General of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), and Chairman of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). In addition he was involved with numerous charities such as Artsline, Stage One, and the Shakespeare Globe Trust, and in 2008 he was appointed
152:(1995-2001), the Council of the Royal London Aid Society (1966–90), President of the London Marriage Guidance Council (1983–90), Chairman of the Trustees of Soundaround - National Sound Magazine for the Blind (1981-2000, when he was made Life President) and Chairman of the charity Artsline (1983-2000, being made Life President in 2001). He was also a Patron of the charity Stage One, and a Member of the Shakespeare's Globe Council.
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Upon leaving school he started recording bands at dance halls around the county of
Buckinghamshire. The BBC turned him down, so instead he started Ross Radio Productions Ltd with Monty Bailey-Watson (an ex-BBC producer) and Joseph Sturge with whom he went to school. The company specialised in
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Whitney married Roma Duncan, an original member of the
Festival Ballet, in 1956. They had a daughter, Fiona, who is a Schools Consultant, author and television/theatre producer in Los Angeles, and a son, Alexander, who is a publisher.
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Among numerous roles not connected to broadcasting or stewardship, John
Whitney was on the Council for Charitable Support (1989–92), the Executive Committee of the
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allowed the provision of commercial radio and TV stations in the UK, Whitney became
Managing Director of the London-based
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which initiated the system of auctioning franchises for ITV companies. From 1985 to 1986 he was also
President of the
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Independent
Television in Britain, Volume 5: ITV and IBA, 1981-92: The Old Relationship Changes
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102:, as well as a number of single dramas. From 1982 - 1989 Whitney was Director General of the
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creating and producing radio programmes for use by sponsors on the commercial radio station
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Whitney founded the Local Radio
Association to promote UK commercial radio. When the
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John
Whitney was born into a Quaker family on 20 December 1930, and educated at
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for services to broadcasting and charity. He was also made a Fellow of the
238:(2nd printing with corrections. ed.). Tiverton: Kelly Publications.
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from 2003 until his retirement in 2007. In 2008 Whitney was appointed a
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ceremony in 1996. He was chairman of the awards committee at the time.
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82:. Whilst still at Capital Radio he started Sagitta Productions with
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Upon leaving the IBA Whitney became
Managing Director of the
425:"Honours: Order of the British Empire, Civil - DBE and CBE"
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British television advertising : the first 30 years
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John
Whitney died on 4 November 2023, at the age of 92.
500:. Vol. 35, no. 5. Spotlight. p. 6.
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30:(CBE) for services to broadcasting and charity.
636:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
236:A concise history of British radio, 1922-2002
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118:(The Television and Radio Industries Club).
28:Commander of the Order of the British Empire
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207:"Leighton Park School - Old Leightonians"
403:The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)
372:The Television and Radio Industries Club
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315:. London: Century Benham. p. 221.
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141:. He was awarded the fellowship at the
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341:Bonner, Paul; Aston, Lesley (1998).
131:RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)
110:and faced the consequences of the
104:Independent Broadcasting Authority
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528:"John Norton Braithwaite WHITNEY"
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173:Whitney, John (23 October 2013).
600:. The Telegraph. 9 November 2023
259:Today, Radio (11 October 2013).
491:"This Year's Sony Radio Awards"
20:John Norton Braithwaite Whitney
16:British broadcaster (1930–2023)
457:"Fellows of The Radio Academy"
125:, a company set up in 1977 by
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646:English television producers
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651:English television writers
489:Goodyer, Tim (June 1996).
177:. John Libbey Publishing.
532:Debrett's People of Today
265:Radio Today Industry News
150:Musicians Benevolent Fund
143:Sony Radio Academy Awards
641:English radio producers
580:"Globe Council Members"
345:. Macmillan Press Ltd.
156:Personal life and death
123:Really Useful Group Ltd
399:"RADA A Brief History"
368:"TRIC Past Presidents"
78:, with a Board led by
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311:Henry, Brian (1986).
234:Street, Sean (2002).
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432:. 29 December 2007.
211:Leighton Park School
80:Richard Attenborough
584:Shakespeare's Globe
291:screenonline.org.uk
285:Screenonline, BFI.
175:To Serve the People
127:Andrew Lloyd Webber
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378:on 17 October 2014
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287:"Danger UXB"
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168:Publications
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631:2023 deaths
626:1930 births
554:"Stage One"
526:Debrett's.
261:"ILR at 40"
620:Categories
604:9 November
563:30 October
537:30 October
511:18 January
471:30 October
408:30 October
382:30 October
216:30 October
192:References
95:Danger UXB
42:Early life
506:0144-5944
440:27 August
296:27 August
270:27 August
434:Archived
65:Autocue
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54:Career
494:(PDF)
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565:2015
539:2015
513:2018
502:ISSN
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347:ISBN
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
