George Barnes (BBC)
Encyclopedia
Sir George Reginald Barnes (1904 – 1960) was a British broadcasting
executive, who was a station Controller of both BBC Radio
and later BBC Television
in the 1940s and 1950s. After spells at the Royal Naval Colleges in Osborne and later Dartmouth, he attended King's College, Cambridge
, from 1922 to 1927, before he returned to Dartmouth to be a Master at the school there.
However, this proved not to be a permanent career for Barnes, and after a short spell at the Cambridge University Press
he joined the BBC
in 1935 as a Producer in the Talks Department. He produced talks with several high-profile figures, including in 1937 producing what is now the only record of author Virginia Woolf
’s voice in the ‘Craftsmanship’ edition of Words Fail Me series, broadcast on 29 April 1937. The same year he produced four talks by William Butler Yeats
.
In 1946 he was promoted to be the first ever Controller of the new BBC Radio station, the Third Programme
, which still exists today in the form of BBC Radio 3
, as it was renamed in 1967. He held this position for four years before in October 1950 becoming the Director of BBC Television
. His appointment caused the resignation of the Controller of Programmes, Norman Collins
, who disagreed with a man whose background was in sound broadcasting being appointed as his superior in the television service.
It was under his tenure as Director that interest in television exploded, particularly with the screening of the coronation
of Queen Elizabeth II
in 1953. Drawing an audience of an estimated 20 million British and 300 million worldwide viewers — an unprecedented viewership — the Coronation broadcast, when viewed later by the Queen, caused her to knight Barnes on the spot at the BBC's Lime Grove Studios
. Television coverage was now nationwide, although in 1955 the service was faced with the prospect of competition for the first time when the rival ITV
network was launched.
Barnes retired from broadcasting in 1956, becoming the Vice Chancellor of the University College of North Staffordshire, which was later to become known as Keele University
. He died in 1960, at the age of just fifty-six, leaving a wife, Anne, and their son Anthony.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
executive, who was a station Controller of both 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...
and later 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...
in the 1940s and 1950s. After spells at the Royal Naval Colleges in Osborne and later Dartmouth, he attended King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, from 1922 to 1927, before he returned to Dartmouth to be a Master at the school there.
However, this proved not to be a permanent career for Barnes, and after a short spell at the Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
he joined 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...
in 1935 as a Producer in the Talks Department. He produced talks with several high-profile figures, including in 1937 producing what is now the only record of author Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf
Adeline Virginia Woolf was an English author, essayist, publisher, and writer of short stories, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century....
’s voice in the ‘Craftsmanship’ edition of Words Fail Me series, broadcast on 29 April 1937. The same year he produced four talks by William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
.
In 1946 he was promoted to be the first ever Controller of the new BBC Radio station, the Third Programme
BBC Third Programme
The BBC Third Programme was a national radio network broadcast by the BBC. The network first went on air on 29 September 1946 and became one of the leading cultural and intellectual forces in Britain, playing a crucial role in disseminating the arts...
, which still exists today in the form of BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
, as it was renamed in 1967. He held this position for four years before in October 1950 becoming the Director of 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...
. His appointment caused the resignation of the Controller of Programmes, Norman Collins
Norman Collins
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 network in the UK...
, who disagreed with a man whose background was in sound broadcasting being appointed as his superior in the television service.
It was under his tenure as Director that interest in television exploded, particularly with the screening of the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1953. Drawing an audience of an estimated 20 million British and 300 million worldwide viewers — an unprecedented viewership — the Coronation broadcast, when viewed later by the Queen, caused her to knight Barnes on the spot at the BBC's Lime Grove Studios
Lime Grove Studios
Lime Grove Studios was a film studio complex built by the Gaumont Film Company in 1915 situated in a street named Lime Grove, inShepherd's Bush, west London, north of Hammersmith and described by Gaumont as "the finest studio in Great Britain and the first building ever put up in this country...
. Television coverage was now nationwide, although in 1955 the service was faced with the prospect of competition for the first time when the rival 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...
network was launched.
Barnes retired from broadcasting in 1956, becoming the Vice Chancellor of the University College of North Staffordshire, which was later to become known as Keele University
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
. He died in 1960, at the age of just fifty-six, leaving a wife, Anne, and their son Anthony.