James Hawthorne

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Dr. James Hawthorne was a former controller of BBC Northern Ireland and Director of Broadcasting in Hong Kong. After his retirement he remained in Northern Ireland where he held the chair of the Community Relations Council, Health Promotion Agency, Prison Arts Foundation and founder of the Ulster History Circle

Dr. Hawthorne was BBC Controller in Northern Ireland for 10 years from 1979 to 1989.

BBC NI Controller Anna Carragher said she was deeply saddened by the death of Dr. Hawthorne who led the BBC in some of the most trying years of The Troubles. He had an enormous dedication and commitment to the BBC." [1]

Hawthorne, one of identical twins, was educated in Belfast, at the Methodist College Belfast and Queen's University Belfast. He began work in Belfast in 1951 as a maths teacher at Sullivan upper school and joined the BBC as an education broadcaster in 1960.

His background in education was apparent at BBC Northern Ireland, where he expanded education and drama, and encouraged local dramatists to create work about Northern Ireland for international audiences. He also introduced Irish language broadcasts, reversing a BBC Dominions Office ban from the 1930s on Gaelic broadcasting in the UK.