William Haley

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(Redirected from
William John Haley
)

Cambridge University
Dartmouth College
Occupation(s)Editor and Director-General of the BBC
SpouseSusan Gibbons

Sir William John Haley, KCMG (24 May 1901 – 6 September 1987) was a British newspaper editor and broadcasting administrator.

Biography

Haley grew up on the island of Jersey and attended Victoria College. In 1918 he began to study journalism, and in 1921 he secured his first newspaper employment at The Times, eventually being stationed in Brussels.[1]

Early in his career on the Manchester Evening News, Haley was found to be too shy to work as a reporter. He was then transferred to subediting.[2] He rose through the ranks becoming director of Manchester Guardian and Evening News, Ltd after 8 years.[1]

He served as

Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George
in 1946.

He was editor-in-chief of Encyclopædia Britannica from January 1968 until resigning in April 1969 in an editorial dispute over how to adapt the work to new readers. It was reported that younger executives (including the company's president, Charles E. Swanson) wanted to introduce livelier materials, while Haley favoured the traditional approach and an expansion in size.[4]

Haley died in a nursing home in Jersey.[5]

External links

Sources

  1. ^ a b "Sir William Haley". Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  2. ^ Harold Evans, Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers 2000 p.10
  3. ^ "Key Facts: Director-Generals". Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  4. ^ Henry Raymont, "Encyclopaedia Britannica Feud Seen", New York Times, April 20, 1969
  5. ^ "WILLIAM J. HALEY, BRITISH JOURNALIST, DIES AT 86". Retrieved 14 June 2012.
Media offices
Preceded by Director-General of the BBC
1944-1952
Succeeded by
Preceded by Editor of The Times
1952–1966
Succeeded by
Preceded by Editor-in-Chief of Encyclopædia Britannica
1968-1969
Succeeded by