Fred Macaulay (radio producer)
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Fred Ewen Gillies Macaulay (1 January 1925 — 15 February 2003) was a Gaelic scholar and radio producer who was head of the BBC Gaelic department for 19 years, and oversaw a tenfold increase of Gaelic broadcasting time.[2][1]
Fred Macaulay | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 1, 1925 Sollas, North Uist Scotland |
| Died | February 15, 2003 |
| Education | University of Edinburgh |
| Occupations | Gaelic Scholar, Radio Producer |
| Spouse | Sybil Thom[1] |
| Children | 3[1] |
Biography
Macaulay was born in North Uist in 1925.[2][3] He attended the Inverness Royal Academy.[2][3][4] During World War Two, he served with the Royal Corps of Signals and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.[2][3] He then studied at the University of Edinburgh, earning a Master of Arts in Celtic Studies and a diploma in phonetics.[2][3][4] He joined the BBC Gaelic department in 1954[2][3][5] and became head of the department in 1964.[2][5][6] In the late 1970s he was the International director for the Pan Celtic Festival.[7] In 1980, he became manager of BBC Highland, based in Inverness, before retiring on 1 July 1983.[2][3][5] In his time at the BBC, Gaelic broadcasting on BBC Radio increased tenfold, from 1.5 hours to 15 hours per week.[5] Macaulay was also responsible for Gaelic programs on TV, including current affairs, and the light entertainment series Se Ur Beatha ('You're welcome').[2][5][4][6] Macaulay also appointed the first woman in the BBC Gaelic department.[2]
Recognition
- 1999 - Radio Lifetime Achievement Award from the Celtic Film and Television Festival[3]
- 2000 - Honorary Chieftain, Gaelic Society of Inverness[3]