Ian Jacob
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (August 2014) |
Lieutenant-General Sir Ian Claud Jacob Companion of the Order of the Bath | |
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Relations | Field Marshal Sir Claud Jacob (father) |
Other work | Director-General of the BBC (1952–59) |
Early life
Jacob was born in 1899 in Quetta, Pakistan (then a part of the British Empire). His father was Field Marshal Sir Claud Jacob, in whose footsteps Ian followed by becoming a professional soldier with the Royal Engineers in 1918, after being educated at both Wellington College, Berkshire and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, where he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers.[1] He subsequently studied the mechanical sciences (engineering) tripos at King's College, Cambridge, graduating with a second-class degree in 1925.[2]
Jacob served as a commander of a company of Gentlemen Cadets at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich until January 1931[3] and later at the Staff College, Camberley from 1931 to 1932, (where he passed the entrance examination with record marks), his fellow students there including Brian Horrocks, Sidney Kirkman, Frank Simpson, Cameron Nicholson, Arthur Dowler, Nevil Brownjohn, and Thomas Rees. He also studied at King's College, Cambridge.
In 1924, Jacob married Cecil Treherne, the daughter of another senior army officer, Surgeon Major-General Sir Francis Treherne. The couple had two sons, William and John.[4]
Wartime work
Jacob served as the Military Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet for the duration of the
Post-war
As Jacob had never been in command of troops, he had few prospects for serious work in the forces after the war and sought to make use of his experience in communications. Indeed, he was one of a number of wartime information service staff who moved into broadcasting after 1945. Jacob retired from the Army on 1 July 1946 with the honorary rank of major-general.[9]
By the end of the war, the
In 1947, Haley decided to rationalise the BBC's overlapping European and Overseas services into a single operation. Jacob's successful management of Bush House led to his being appointed Director of the reconstructed Overseas service in which post he continued until 1951. In February 1950, he helped to establish the European Broadcasting Union (responsible for the Eurovision Song Contest and similar events) and served as its first President until 1960.
Back into government
Churchill regained power in 1951, and in addition to being Prime Minister he took the office of Secretary of State for Defence. He immediately asked for William Haley to second Jacob from the BBC to reprise his advisory role, this time under the title of Chief Staff Officer. After a single visit to the United States of America and Canada, Churchill realised that the Defence portfolio was relatively dull during peacetime; he left the post and appointed Field Marshal the Earl Alexander as his replacement. Jacob was less comfortable working for Alexander than for Churchill, but a new opportunity arose for him in June 1952, when Haley announced he was to leave the BBC to become editor of The Times.
Jacob as BBC Director-General
As Haley departed, it was apparent that Jacob was likely to succeed him in the role of Director-General. Jacob was well respected by the senior staff of the BBC, much more so than the other candidate
Jacob's tenure coincided with the rise of television, which was beginning to displace radio as the main broadcast medium (sales of Sound-and-Television licences overtook those of Sound-only licences in 1957). In contrast to Haley's hard-bitten era, Jacob's was a time of financial prosperity for the BBC. Indeed, he initially found it hard to persuade senior staff that money was available and that there was ample opportunity to spend it in developing television to the full.
Jacob was an enthusiast of
Jacob's approach to news coverage was not always popular with the government. His former mentor Winston Churchill in particular had never liked the
If the BBC is found for the first time to be suppressing significant items of news, its reputation would rapidly vanish and the harm to the national interest would enormously outweigh any damage caused by displaying to the world the workings of a free democracy.
Eden responded by cutting the budget of the Overseas Service (which was, unlike today's World Service, funded by the
Jacob was replaced as Director-General in 1960 by
Jacob's date of retirement was 31 December 1959. The following day, he was appointed a
Later life
Jacob was the co-author (along with
References
- ^ a b Smart 2005, p. 172.
- ^ Miall, Leonard, "Jacob, Sir (Edward) Ian Claud (1899–1993)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, September 2004. Retrieved 3 March 2024. (subscription required)
- ^ "No. 33687". The London Gazette. 6 February 1931. p. 833.
- ^ "Sir Ian Jacob".
- ^ "No. 36160". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 September 1943. p. 3965.
- ^ "No. 36721". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 September 1944. p. 4475.
- ^ "No. 36721". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 October 1945. p. 4890.
- ^ "No. 36544". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1944. p. 2567.
- ^ "No. 37635". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 June 1946. p. 3361.
- ^ "Panorama - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
Bibliography
- ISBN 0-297-81328-5.
- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: ISBN 1-84415-049-6.
- OCLC 494162074.