James Naughtie
Encyclopedia
James Naughtie (surname pronounced ˈ; born 9 August 1951) is a British
radio presenter and radio news presenter for the BBC
. Since 1994 he has been one of the main presenters of Radio 4
's Today programme
.
, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire
, Scotland. He was educated at Keith Grammar School, the University of Aberdeen
and then Syracuse University
in New York
. He is a Fellow of the British-American Project
.
Press & Journal
, moving to the London offices of The Scotsman
in 1977. The following year he joined the paper's Westminster staff, and became its Chief Political Correspondent. In 1981, he worked for The Washington Post
as the Laurence Stern fellow
on its national staff. Naughtie joined The Guardian
in 1984, and became its Chief Political Correspondent in 1985.
In 1986, Naughtie moved into radio presenting, presenting The Week In Westminster moving to The World At One
in 1988. He has also made several radio documentaries and series and has written three books, Playing the Palace: A Westminster Collection, The Rivals: The Intimate Story of a Political Marriage, and The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency.
Naughtie has been a presenter of the televised Proms since 1992, and has also presented opera programmes such as Radio 3
's Opera News. Naughtie is also the current host of Radio 4's Bookclub.
In 1994 he became one of the main presenters of Radio 4
's Today programme
. He is noted for asking particularly long questions. Shortly before the 2005 General Election
he opened a question to Labour
politician Ed Balls
"If we win the election...", which led to criticism that he was not neutral as required of BBC political journalists. He has a distinctive Scottish accent which has been named as the "best voice to wake up to" in a comparative survey.
and a United Kingdom advisory board member for the British-American Project
, which exists to promote the British-American relationship.
Naughtie was installed as chancellor of the University of Stirling
on 9 October 2008, succeeding Dame Diana Rigg
when her ten year term of office ended.
, author of the award-winning Montmorency books and a former producer of The World at One. They have three children, and live in south-west London.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
radio presenter and radio news presenter for 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...
. Since 1994 he has been one of the main presenters of 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...
's Today programme
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
.
Biography
James Naughtie was born and brought up in Milltown of RothiemayMilltown of Rothiemay
Milltown of Rothiemay is a small inland village, built mostly of granite, in Moray, north-east Scotland. It is around north of Huntly, and east of Keith. It lies on the banks of the River Deveron, close to where it joins the River Isla, in the former county of Banffshire...
, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, Scotland. He was educated at Keith Grammar School, the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
and then Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He is a Fellow of the British-American Project
British-American Project
The British-American Project is a fellowship of some 600 leaders and opinion formers from a broad spectrum of occupations, backgrounds and political viewpoints, drawn in equal numbers from the United States and the United Kingdom...
.
Radio presenting career
Naughtie began his career as a journalist in 1975 at the AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
Press & Journal
Press and Journal (Scotland)
The Press and Journal, often called the P&J, is a daily regional newspaper serving the northern counties of Scotland including the cities of Aberdeen and Inverness...
, moving to the London offices of The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
in 1977. The following year he joined the paper's Westminster staff, and became its Chief Political Correspondent. In 1981, he worked for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
as the Laurence Stern fellow
Laurence Stern fellowship
The Laurence Stern fellowship is an annual summer internship program for British journalists at the Washington Post. The internship was established in honour of Post journalist, Laurence Stern. A fund for the program is managed by the National Press Foundation. Awardees are selected by the Post...
on its national staff. Naughtie joined The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
in 1984, and became its Chief Political Correspondent in 1985.
In 1986, Naughtie moved into radio presenting, presenting The Week In Westminster moving to The World At One
The World At One
The World at One, or WATO for short, is BBC Radio 4's long-running lunchtime news and current affairs programme, which is broadcast from 1pm to 1:30pm from Monday to Friday. The programme describes itself as "Britain's leading political programme. With a reputation for rigorous and original...
in 1988. He has also made several radio documentaries and series and has written three books, Playing the Palace: A Westminster Collection, The Rivals: The Intimate Story of a Political Marriage, and The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency.
Naughtie has been a presenter of the televised Proms since 1992, and has also presented opera programmes such as 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...
's Opera News. Naughtie is also the current host of Radio 4's Bookclub.
In 1994 he became one of the main presenters of 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...
's Today programme
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
. He is noted for asking particularly long questions. Shortly before the 2005 General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
he opened a question to Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician Ed Balls
Ed Balls
Edward Michael Balls, known as Ed Balls, is a British Labour politician, who has been a Member of Parliament since 2005, currently for Morley and Outwood, and is the current Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer....
"If we win the election...", which led to criticism that he was not neutral as required of BBC political journalists. He has a distinctive Scottish accent which has been named as the "best voice to wake up to" in a comparative survey.
Awards and positions
Naughtie was voted Sony Radio Awards Radio Personality of the Year in 1991 and Voice of the Listener and Viewer Award in 2001. He is a member of the Marshall Aid Commemoration CommissionMarshall Aid Commemoration Commission
The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission is the non-departmental public body responsible for administering the Marshall Scholarship and Marshall Sherfield Fellowship schemes. It was created by the British Parliament's Marshall Aid Commemoration Act 1953 in recognition of the Marshall Plan...
and a United Kingdom advisory board member for the British-American Project
British-American Project
The British-American Project is a fellowship of some 600 leaders and opinion formers from a broad spectrum of occupations, backgrounds and political viewpoints, drawn in equal numbers from the United States and the United Kingdom...
, which exists to promote the British-American relationship.
Naughtie was installed as chancellor of the University of Stirling
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
on 9 October 2008, succeeding Dame Diana Rigg
Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE is an English actress. She is probably best known for her portrayals of Emma Peel in The Avengers and Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service....
when her ten year term of office ended.
Personal life
Naughtie is married to Eleanor UpdaleEleanor Updale
Eleanor Updale is the author of the Montmorency Series. She has written four novels and some short stories, and has won several awards for her writing.-Biography:...
, author of the award-winning Montmorency books and a former producer of The World at One. They have three children, and live in south-west London.
Works
- Naughtie, James (2001) The Rivals: The Intimate Story of a Political Marriage Fourth Estate, ISBN 1-84115-473-3
- Naughtie, James (2004) The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency Macmillan, ISBN 1-4050-5001-2
- Naughtie, James (2007) The Making Of Music John Murray, ISBN 0719562546