Michael Jackson (TV)

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For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation)

Michael Jackson (born February 11, 1958) is the first media studies graduate (Polytechnic of Central London, now the University of Westminster, 1976-79) to achieve prominence in British television. On leaving PCL he was the Organiser of the Channel Four Group, which led the successful fight for access to Channel 4 for independent producers and then became an independent producer himself.

Early productions included one of Channel 4's first documentary series, The Sixties (1982), the groundbreaking magazine programme The Media Show, and Open The Box, about popular television. In 1988 he went to the BBC to edit The Late Show, and its spin-offs such as Moving Pictures, Naked Hollywood and Later... with Jools Holland.

In 1990 he became the BBC’s youngest ever department head as Head of Music and Arts. As Controller of BBC Two (1993 – 1996) he was responsible for commissioning shows such as This Life, the landmark drama Our Friends in the North, The Death of Yugoslavia, Fantasy Football and Changing Rooms. He was briefly Controller of BBC One and Director of Television before moving to Channel 4 as Chief Executive in 1997.

At Channel 4, he launched the FilmFour and E4 channels as well as sheperding programmes such as Queer As Folk, Ali G and Longitude. In 2001 he was headhunted by Barry Diller to work in the United States as President and CEO of USA Entertainment and later Chairman of Universal Television, where he was responsible for USA Network, Sci-Fi and Trio. Programmes included The Dead Zone, Monk and Brilliant But Cancelled. He is now President of Programming for IAC/InterActiveCorp, leading the company's interests in interactive content businesses in entertainment and information.

Media Offices
Preceded by Michael Grade	Chief Executive of Channel 4 1997-2001	Succeeded by Mark Thompson
Preceded by Alan Yentob	Controller of BBC One 1996-1997	Succeeded by Peter Salmon
Preceded by Alan Yentob	Controller of BBC Two 1993-1996	Succeeded by Mark Thompson