Sir Jeremy Isaacs has spent more than 45 years in television, and has witnessed, and in some cases instigated, the major changes that made it the cultural force it is today. His first post in 1958 was with Granada; although a commercial company, Granada's ethos was closest to that of the BBC, and provided Isaacs with a solid start. After moving on to Rediffusion, Isaacs joined the BBC in 1965, editing Panorama, before a disagreement caused him to return to Rediffusion - now Thames - where he made The World at War. When a censorship issue provoked him to leave and go freelance, he continued to make ground-breaking programmes, and when in 1979 Channel 4 began the search for their first chief executive, Isaacs was the ideal candidate. He engineered a deliberately ecletic mix of programmes and put television into the hands of small, entrepreneurial film-makers; short-lived as after Isaac's departure in 1986 the channel became dependent on revenue from its advertisers. After a period as General Director of the Royal Opera House, and then making some award-winning documentary series with Ted Turner, Isaacs is currently heading Artworld for Sky.
- ‘Essential reading for anyone who wants to know how British television developed in the 20th century’ The Times Higher Education Supplement
- ‘Brings to life the golden age of British television’ The Jewish Chronicle
- ‘Offers fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses into programme making and TV politics . . . [a] thoughtful discussion’ Word
- ‘Isaacs’s book is a wonderful evocation of a vanished world. It is also a deeply generous one, paying tribute to many unsung heroes and their crafts' Prospect
Paperback:
£10.99
Published 03/05/2007
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