Johnny Beerling

Johnny Beerling (born 1937) had a long association with BBC Radio 1, culminating in his eight years as controller, from 1985 to 1993. He produced the first ever show on the station - Tony Blackburn's breakfast show on 30 September 1967 - and worked his way up through the ranks, along the way helping to launch the Radio 1 Roadshow in 1973. Prior to this he had been one of the few employees of the BBC Light Programme in the mid-1960s to regard the model of offshore pirate radio as one for the BBC to follow.

Related Topics:
Johnny Beerling - 1937 - BBC Radio 1 - 1985 - 1993 - Tony Blackburn - Breakfast show - 30 September - 1967 - Radio 1 Roadshow - 1973 - BBC Light Programme - 1960s - Pirate radio

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His departure from Radio 1 has come to be regarded as the end of an era, for many of the station's veteran DJs would similarly leave the station when Matthew Bannister succeeded him as controller, and the network's ethos, music policy and target audience would change dramatically. Beerling publicly criticised the new regime at the BBC, specifically in the person of director-general John (now Lord) Birt, after his departure, but he did organise the "Music Live '95" event in Birmingham in May 1995, which was broadcast across all (then) three BBC music stations, including Radio 1. He has recently been working on an autobiography.

Related Topics:
DJ - Matthew Bannister - BBC - Director-general - John (now Lord) Birt - Birmingham - 1995

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