John Whitney (broadcaster)

John Norton Braithwaite Whitney, CBE (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 Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to broadcasting and charity.

Early life

John Whitney was born into a Quaker family on 20 December 1930, and educated at Leighton Park Friends’ School.

Career

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 creating and producing radio programmes for use by sponsors on the commercial radio station Radio Luxembourg, and became successful as it attracted major advertisers and obtained the UK rights to the Autocue prompting system.

Whitney founded the Local Radio Association to promote UK commercial radio. When the Sound Broadcasting Act 1972 allowed the provision of commercial radio and TV stations in the UK, Whitney became Managing Director of the London-based Capital Radio, with a Board led by Richard Attenborough. Whilst still at Capital Radio he started Sagitta Productions with John Hawkesworth, producing such television series as Upstairs Downstairs, Danger UXB and The Planemakers, as well as a number of single dramas.