Alasdair Milne

Alasdair David Gordon Milne (8 October 1930 – 8 January 2013) was Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation between July 1982 and 1987. Earlier in his career Milne was a BBC producer involved in founding Tonight in 1957. Later, after a period outside the BBC, he became Controller of BBC Scotland, and BBC Television's Director of Programmes. In January 1987, Milne was forced to resign from his post as DG by the BBC Governors following several difficult years for the Corporation and sustained pressure from the Thatcher government.

Education

Born in India to Scottish parents, Milne was educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford.

Career

Before going to university Milne did his National Service as an officer in the Gordon Highlanders. He joined the BBC in September 1954 as a graduate trainee after his wife spotted a BBC advertisement. He was taken under the wing of Grace Wyndham Goldie who recruited, trained, guided and encouraged many well-known BBC broadcasters and current affairs executives. Milne was one of the so-called "Goldie Boys", a group of producers and presenters, which included Huw Wheldon, Robin Day, David Frost, Cliff Michelmore, Ian Trethowan and Richard Dimbleby.