*** Welcome to piglix ***

Robin Scott (BBC)


Robin Hugh Scutt (24 October 1920 – 7 February 2000), better known as Robin Scott, was a BBC controller and the launch controller of BBC Radio 1 in 1967, and of BBC2 television from 1969 to 1974.

Born Robin Hugh Scutt, he was schooled at Bryanston and read modern languages at Cambridge University before joining the intelligence corps. He was discharged through illness in 1942, and joined the BBC. While in the French Service, he commented on major events including VE day and VJ day. During this time, he changed his name to Scott, as his French contacts found his original name difficult to say. Moving into television in the late 1950s, he produced programmes including Miss World, Come Dancing, and It's a Knockout. During this time, he wrote the song Softly Softly, a British number one hit for Ruby Murray. In 1958, he moved to the BBC Paris bureau, and was seconded to Trans-Europe Television between 1964 and 1966.

He was appointed the Controller of the Light Programme in March 1967, and devised a format for the corporation's new popular music programme. His vision deliberately echoed the pirate radio broadcasters that would be outlawed by the Marine Broadcast Offences Act in August 1967. This pop station, BBC Radio 1, launched on 30 September 1967, with a signature tune commissioned by Scott, Theme One, recorded by George Martin. He was also Controller of BBC Radio 2, the successor to the Light Programme.

He was succeeded as Controller of Radio 2 and Radio 1 by Douglas Muggeridge.


...
Wikipedia

...