Former Bush and BH executive Charles McLelland died in December 2004.  This obituary appeared in The Times on January 27:

CHARLES McLELLAND

Diligent broadcasting executive whose loyalty cost him his job

THE broadcasting executive and journalist Charles McLelland was caught in the crossfire of internal BBC politics and became its unfortunate victim.  He was a loyal and diligent deputy managing director of radio and director of programmes who backed his boss Richard Francis to the hilt. It turned out he had backed the wrong horse, and, though largely an innocent bystander, he paid the price.

He told the story of how he was dismissed in 1986. Alasdair Milne, the Director-General, had decided to get rid of Francis, who had put himself out of favour with Milne and the chairman of governors, Stuart Young, by continuing to back the inspiring Norman Foster design for a new Broadcasting House to be built on the site of the nearby BBC building, the Langham. This was 1986 and in the midst of Margaret Thatcher and Norman Tebbit’s war against the BBC, when much spending by a public body was severely frowned upon.

The ambitious scheme (which incidentally might have saved much current costly relocation and rebuilding) eventually died an expensive death on the drawing board, and Norman Foster Associates had to be paid off. Francis and (to a much lesser extent) McLelland were the project’s vocal supporters. They had also argued to keep local radio in the national structure, rather than hiving it off to the regions as senior management wanted. Milne finally lost patience and hurried back from overseas to dismiss Francis. According to McLelland, he then turned to him and said: “You’d better go too.”

Milne suffered his own dose of barrack-square brutality the following year when he was dismissed by the new chairman, Duke Hussey, but McLelland had loved the BBC and the sudden separation hurt him deeply. He became director-general of the Association of British Travel Agents in 1987 but it was not the same as his beloved Beeb.

He had enjoyed pioneering days in radio. Radio 1 had become the nation’s most-listened-to station, and Radio 2 under McLelland started broadcasting 24 hours a day. He played a pivotal role in radio planning as chairman of the European Broadcasting Union radio programme committee.

After a two-year commission in the Royal Artillery, Charles McLelland had joined The Glasgow Herald in 1954 as a sub-editor and leader writer. He remained proud of his Scottish roots throughout his life. Four years later he went south to Bush House, where he became a skilled scriptwriter for European productions. He moved through the ranks as head of programmes, Radio Sarawak, Indian programme organiser and head of the BBC Arabic Service in 1971-75.

It was from there that he moved from overseas to domestic services to be Controller of Radios 1 and 2. He became deputy managing director, BBC Radio, in 1980.

Colleagues remember McLelland as an appreciative, supportive and encouraging man to work for. One reflected ruefully that he was “perhaps too honest to reach the very top of the BBC”.

He is survived by his wife, Philippa, three daughters and a son.

Charles McLelland, journalist and broadcasting executive, was born on November 19, 1930. He died on December 2, 2004, aged 74.