This New Noise (22 page)

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Authors: Charlotte Higgins

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Anon (ed.),
Hilda Matheson: Born June 7, died October 20, 1940
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Attenborough, D.,
Life on Air: Memoirs of a Broadcaster,
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Avery, T.,
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—
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—
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Williams, R.,
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Wyatt, Will,
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—
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Young, H., ‘The Reality of the
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To Alan Rusbridger, who commissioned this project and who edited the nine original newspaper articles from which this book sprang; my grateful thanks are due for his kind encouragement and rigorous guidance, and for the opportunity to undertake an assignment that at times seemed overwhelming, but was always fascinating.

To Laura Hassan of Guardian–Faber, who with grace and enthusiasm helped me shape the articles into a book, and to all the publishing team including Sara Montgomery, Jill Burrows and Anna Pallai.

To the many BBC staff and ex-staff who guided my understanding of the BBC and who gave me generous insights into their work; and to the many scholars of the BBC and observers of its workings who shared their views with me. I interviewed around a hundred people, some of whom spoke anonymously, others of whom are not quoted directly, but from all of whom I learned a great deal.

My thanks to the many friends and colleagues who offered support and wisdom, and to those who helped bring the original essays to the page: they include Michael Becker, Andy Beckett, Emily Bell, Chris Clarke, Alan Davey, Jon Day, Susanna Eastburn, Rupert Higgins, James Hislop, Paul Johnson, Paul Laity, Richard Nelsson, Andrew O’Hagan, Anne Perkins, Joshua St Johnston,
Fiona Shields, David Teather and Will Woodward. Particular thanks to Clare Margetson.

To Dan Sabbagh, who generously offered many insights gleaned from his former life as a media correspondent; and to the collective wisdom and generosity of the
Guardian
’s media reporting team.

To Professor Jean Seaton, official historian of the BBC, for her encouragement.

To Katie Ankers and her colleagues at the BBC Written Archives Centre. To the staff of the Rare Books & Music reading room at the British Library. To Laurie Klein of the Beinecke Library at Yale.

To Matthew Fox for the ‘big stride of your mind’ and for your love.

 

Georgina Henry died on 7 February 2014, aged fifty-three. She had been deputy editor of the
Guardian
, founded
Comment Is Free
, and, as head of culture, was, for a time, my boss. Earlier in her career she had been a fierce, strong and principled media editor. She was, to quote a description of Hilda Matheson, ‘pure gold all the way through’. This book is dedicated, with love, to her memory.

Page numbers in
italics
refer to photographs.
 

  1. Adam, Kenneth
    1
  2. Adams, Mary
    1
    ,
    2
    1. on Goldie
      1
    2. retires
      1
  3. Africa Survey
    1
  4. Al Jazeera
    1
  5. Alexandra Palace
    1
    ,
    2
    ,
    3
    ,
    4
    1. Goldie describes
      1
  6. Amazon
    1
  7. Apple
    1
  8. Apples, Pears and Paint
    1
  9. Archers, The
    1
  10. As You Like It
    (Shakespeare)
    1
  11. Astor, Nancy
    1
    ,
    2
  12. At the Edge of the Union
    1
  13. atomic power
    1
  14. Attenborough, Sir David
    1
    ,
    2
    ,
    3
    ,
    4
    ,
    5
    ,
    6
    ,
    7
    ,
    8
    1. on Hill
      1
  15. Attlee, Clement
    1
    ,
    2
  16. Auden, W. H.
    1

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