From her modest beginnings in a complex home, Helen Boaden rose to the top offices of the BBC; and emerged as a much respected and loved figure in a changing industry.
In this edition of #Radiomoments ‘Conversations’ she tells of her early days in commercial radio at Tees and Aire, and her first impressions of the Corporation in Leeds. Rising quickly through the male-led ranks, she quickly carved out a reputation for herself in management.
Helen was to earn the prize of Controllership of Radio 4, where she also led the creation of what was Radio 7, before being appointed Head of BBC News. Here, she oversaw the coverage of the 2008 economic crash, and the creation of the BBC multi-media newsroom. Famously, that appointment was to end in controversy, before Helen returned home to rule BBC radio for four years before retiring from the BBC.
In her own words, this is the Helen Boaden story.
115: Gary Burgess - Wave, Wire, Q96, UTV, BBC Guernsey, ITV, Channel 103
114: Howard Hughes - City, Wyvern, Capital, LBC, BBC local
113: Graham Torrington - BRMB, Buzz, Kix 96, GWR group, BBC local
112: Clive Dickens - Chiltern, BRMB, Capital, ARI, Absolute, Austereo, Seven West, Optus
111: Louisa Compton - BBC Three Counties, 5 Live, Newsbeat, Channel 4
110: Cornelius Lysaght - Severn Sound, Southern, BBC Racing Correspondent
109: David Lloyd - Trent, Leic Sound, Lincs FM, Radio Authority, Century, Galaxy, LBC, Virgin, Orion
108: Ken Bruce - BBC Radio Scotland, Radio 2
107: Rob Jones - City, Luxembourg, the Super Station, USP
106: Colin Mason - Executive, Swansea Sound, Chiltern and BBC local
105: Lisa Kerr - Executive, Radiocentre, Local Radio Company; and Classic FM
104: Pete Price - Presenter, Radio City, City Talk, Radio Merseyside
103: Graham Dene - Presenter, UBN, City, Capital, Virgin, Magic, Smooth, BBC Local
102: David Symonds - Presenter, BBC Light, Home, Radio 1,2, Capital, Victory
101: Simon Mayo - Presenter, Radio 1, 2, 5 Live, Nottingham & Brighton
100: Don Thomson - Commercial Director, Piccadilly, Chrysalis, COO Global
99: Steve Collins - Programmer, presenter, Voice of Peace, Capital, Smooth, County Sound, Top Shop, Red Rose
98: Diana Luke - Presenter, Viking, Jazz, Superstation, County Sound, BBC local
97: Steve Orchard - Programmer, executive, GWR, GCap, Quidem, Prison Radio
96: John Inverdale - Presenter and sport, BBC local, BBC Radio 4, 2, 5, 5 Live
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Marty Ray Project: Chats
What’s the Res?
It’s All An Act
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Federalist Papers
The Magnus Archives
The Moth