David Plowright
David Ernest Plowright (CBE) | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 December 1930 Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England |
| Died | 24 August 2006 (aged 75) Prestbury, Cheshire, England, |
| Occupation(s) | Television executive, producer |
| Family | Joan Plowright (sister) |
David Ernest Plowright
Life
Plowright was educated at
Plowright rose to become Controller of Programmes from 1969 to 1979, and he succeeded Denis Forman first as managing director, and then Chairman of Granada Television in 1987.[1] The outlook of Granada TV, under the leadership of Foreman and Plowright was described as "non-conformist, alternative, non-London".[2] He easily steered Granada through 1991 ITV franchise auctions by threatening to sell Coronation Street, Granada's signature show and one of the channel's biggest assets, to satellite television if their bid was rejected. Plowright was forced out in 1992 by Gerry Robinson, the new chief executive,[3] which led to John Cleese describing Robinson as an "upstart caterer". Plowright's exit was regarded as a turning point in the process whereby ITV gave profits a bigger priority than programme quality.[3]
At Granada, Plowright was a defender of the often controversial current affairs programme,
In 1993, Plowright, with the support and backing of the University of Salford established the Nations and Regions Media Conference (now Salford International Media Festival) to champion the cause of regional broadcasters and producers. He believed the nations and regions of the United Kingdom should have a bigger share in the production and decision-making processes of the major broadcasters.
Family
Plowright was the younger brother of actress
References
- ^ a b "Who Was Who". A & C Black. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ a b Purser, Phillip (28 August 2006). "David Plowright obituary". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ a b c "David Plowright obituary". The Telegraph. 30 August 2006. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
External links
- David Plowright at IMDb
- David Plowright obituary from The Daily Telegraph