Paul Bach
Encyclopedia
Paul Bach was a regional press journalist
and editor
, at one time the editor-in-chief of the Celtic Press group and group editor of the Stratford Express series of newspapers, and the founder-editor of Saga Magazine
which, under Bach's editorship, became for a time Britain's largest-circulation monthly magazine.
In 1979 he began working for then family-owned Saga Holidays, joining the company as editor of Saga News. He transformed it into the monthly Saga Magazine, launched in 1984, and as the founder-editor he grew that within a decade into the biggest-selling monthly magazine in Britain, overtaking Reader’s Digest, as the circulation grew to 1.25 million.
Under Bach's leadership, major political figures like Lord Carrington, Margaret Thatcher
, Mo Mowlam
and former US Senator
George Mitchell
were interviewed for the magazine, and Her Majesty The Queen invited the magazine on a royal away-day. Leading writers such as Paul Lewis
, Michael Parkinson
, Clement Freud
and Keith Waterhouse
provided contributions, and celebrities such as Raquel Welch
, Sir Cliff Richard
, Sting, Twiggy
, Goldie Hawn
and (controversially) Mick Jagger
appeared on the cover. Under Bach the magazine was among the first to campaign for the preservation of the English village, calling on the UK government to stop the closure of rural banks and post offices.
In 2001 Bach co-edited My Story 1: Memoirs of Everyday Life from the Readers of Saga Magazine and My Story 2: Further Memoirs of the 20th Century from the Readers of Saga Magazine.
Bach edited Saga Magazine until retiring in 2002.
A widower (his wife Florence having died some nine months previously), Bach died on 18 September 2011. He was survived by three sons.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
, at one time the editor-in-chief of the Celtic Press group and group editor of the Stratford Express series of newspapers, and the founder-editor of Saga Magazine
Saga Group
Saga is a British company focused on serving the needs of those aged 50 and over. It has 2.7 million customers. The company has five call centres. All are in the UK, three in Folkestone, Kent at Middelburg Square, Enbrook Park and Cheriton Park; the fourth at the Eurokent Business park in...
which, under Bach's editorship, became for a time Britain's largest-circulation monthly magazine.
Working life
Straight from leaving school Bach went into journalism, working as a reporter on a local weekly newspaper. He went on to work for several local or regional newspapers in various parts of England and Wales, editing many.In 1979 he began working for then family-owned Saga Holidays, joining the company as editor of Saga News. He transformed it into the monthly Saga Magazine, launched in 1984, and as the founder-editor he grew that within a decade into the biggest-selling monthly magazine in Britain, overtaking Reader’s Digest, as the circulation grew to 1.25 million.
Under Bach's leadership, major political figures like Lord Carrington, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, Mo Mowlam
Mo Mowlam
Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Mowlam's time as Northern...
and former US Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
George Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
were interviewed for the magazine, and Her Majesty The Queen invited the magazine on a royal away-day. Leading writers such as Paul Lewis
Paul Lewis (journalist)
Paul Lewis is a British journalist at The Guardian best known for his award-winning investigation of the Death of Ian Tomlinson at the 2009 G-20 summit protests. In August 2010 Lewis became head of the Guardians "multimedia special projects team" which aims to find "new angles on breaking news...
, Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
, Clement Freud
Clement Freud
Sir Clement Raphael Freud was an English broadcaster, writer, politician and chef.-Early life:Freud was born in Berlin, the son of Jewish parents Ernst Ludwig Freud and Lucie née Brasch. He was the grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and the brother of artist Lucian Freud...
and Keith Waterhouse
Keith Waterhouse
Keith Spencer Waterhouse CBE was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and the writer of many television series.-Biography:Keith Waterhouse was born in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
provided contributions, and celebrities such as Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch
Jo Raquel Tejada , better known as Raquel Welch, is an American actress, author and sex symbol. Welch came to attention as a "new-star" on the 20th Century-Fox lot in the mid-1960s. She posed iconically in a animal skin bikini for the British-release One Million Years B.C. , for which she may be...
, Sir Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, Sting, Twiggy
Twiggy
Lesley Lawson née Hornby known as Twiggy is an English model, actress, and singer. In the early-1960s she became a prominent British teenage model of swinging sixties London with others such as Penelope Tree....
, Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawn
Goldie Jeanne Hawn is an American actress, film director, producer, and occasional singer. Hawn is known for her roles in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Private Benjamin, Foul Play, Overboard, Bird on a Wire, Death Becomes Her, The First Wives Club, and Cactus Flower, for which she won the 1969...
and (controversially) Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
appeared on the cover. Under Bach the magazine was among the first to campaign for the preservation of the English village, calling on the UK government to stop the closure of rural banks and post offices.
In 2001 Bach co-edited My Story 1: Memoirs of Everyday Life from the Readers of Saga Magazine and My Story 2: Further Memoirs of the 20th Century from the Readers of Saga Magazine.
Bach edited Saga Magazine until retiring in 2002.
Personal life
Paul Bach attended Plaistow County Grammar School from 1950 to 1955. His father was a professor of languages at King’s College, London.A widower (his wife Florence having died some nine months previously), Bach died on 18 September 2011. He was survived by three sons.