Forum for former BBC staff

Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> Notices, obituaries and tributes >> Bill Greaves http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1422274190 Message started by Administrator on Jan 26^th, 2015, 12:10pm

Title: Bill Greaves
Post by Administrator on Jan 26^th, 2015, 12:10pm

BBC News reports the death of Bill Greaves, former News Editor BBC Leeds.

"The first editor of BBC Look North, Yorkshire's regional news and current affairs programme, has died, it has been announced.

Bill Greaves died, at the age of 81, in Harrogate, following a heart attack.

He was the editor when the programme began broadcasting in 1968 from an old church hall in Blackman Lane, Leeds.

Tim Smith, acting head of BBC Yorkshire, said: "Bill Greaves was a broadcasting pioneer.

"The very first edition of Look North in 1968 was presented from a boat as York flooded. He was an inspirational leader to many and will be much missed."

In this archived BBC news site, the early days of 'Look North' are remembered,

"Bill Greaves was the programme's first news editor, and later Regional Television Manager. Looking back on the occasion of the programme's 25th anniversary, he remembered: "When I first clapped eyes on All Souls in Blackman Lane, I thought they had to be joking. I'd come down from London on a day trip to meet local freelances and say hello to my new domain. I'd just been appointed news editor of the BBC's North Region and was eager to please. But the insouciant smile playing around my lips froze in to a rictus grin as I entered the dank and dusty interior.

"My instructions were to be on the air by March. It was November 25th already and there was only me and this peeling office. I had nightmares for weeks to come but soon I was too busy to worry any more. We de-rigged the ancient OB [Outside Broadcast], installed mobile film processing outside the front door, convinced the church Brownie pack they should meet in the room beneath the studio at some time other than 6pm (the time Look North was then broadcast) and recruited as good a bunch of guys and gals as you'd ever wish to meet. Suddenly we were through the dreaded opening night and into the hectic and happy time beyond.""