WDR informs us that Martin Cox, a duty editor on the 'Today' programme in 1973, editor of WATO in 1987, and many other programmes, has died aged 74.

Martin became Managing Editor of Current Affairs in 1989.

From 2007 to 2010 he was Chairman of the BBC Pensioners' Association.


Thanks to "WDR" More information here

This is taken from The Guardian:

Martin Cox obituary
by Caro Millington
Thursday 19 November 2015 17.45 GMT

My friend and former colleague Martin Cox, who has died at the age of 74 while on holiday in Portugal, was a committed public service broadcaster who worked on Radio 4’s Today, PM and other programmes. He epitomised all that is best about those who work behind the scenes at the BBC. Gifted with a keen editorial brain, he was valued for his integrity and fairness.

The oldest of four children of Helen (nee Winfield) and Graham, a personnel manager, Martin was born in Chester and raised in Cambridge and Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. He was sent to boarding school at the age of eight by his father, an old-fashioned Tory, and then to Eton. He rejected his father’s politics, and after school worked his passage round the world on freight and passenger ships before going to study law at Cambridge, keeping in touch with the real world by working as a labourer during the holidays.


His career began at National Opinion Polls, where he became the head of political polling. After a few years there he was recruited into BBC Radio, where he stayed until his retirement. He brought with him to the corporation an understanding of polling that was then almost totally lacking.

His fascination with politics took him from producing The Week in Westminster and Election Specials to the Today programme, as deputy editor, and then as editor to PM and The World at One – where he enticed Jim Naughtie away from the Guardian to begin his broadcasting career.

Martin was one of the founders of BBC 5 Live, working with his friend and boss Jenny Abramsky after their successful collaboration on its precursor, the improvised coverage of the first gulf war, a Radio 4 split wavelength known unofficially as Scud FM. Like many BBC journalists (and others who produce programmes at the corporation), Martin hated the politics of the place, but adored the institution. He was a gifted manager and had a quiet but effective sense of humour.

After he left the BBC, Martin chaired the BBC Pensioners’ Association, and was also chair of the London borough of Camden standards committee. But he and his second wife, Margaret, another BBC lifer, also seized the opportunity to travel extensively and spend time with his three children, Jonathan, Matthew and Susie (from his first marriage to Sue, which ended in divorce), and with his grandchildren, all five of whom he took on holiday to his beloved north Cornwall.

He is survived by Margaret, his children and his grandchildren.