Austen Kark
Encyclopedia
Austen Kark CBE
(20 October 1926–10 May 2002) was a managing director of the BBC World Service
. He was one of three former holders of that post, along with Gerard Mansell and John Tusa
, to oppose the plans of John Birt to merge the service into the BBC. After Birt became director general of the BBC in 1992, he had planned to end the service's independent status at Bush House
in central London, and absorb it within the rest of the corporation.
Kark led a varied career before his tenure with the BBC. He was the son of a London
army major who became a publisher. He attended Upper Canada College
in Toronto
, the Nautical College in Pangbourne
, the Royal Naval College
, and Magdalen College, Oxford
. He became a Royal Navy midshipman
in 1944, serving two years with the East Indies fleet, aboard HMS Nelson and HMS London
.
In 1948 at Oxford
, Kark directed the first production of Jean-Paul Sartre
's The Flies
. He later joined his family's magazine business, Norman Kark Publications. One of its magazines was the glossy literary magazine Courier
. Kark married Margaret Schmahmann in 1949; they had two daughters. The couple divorced in 1954. Kark married Nina Bawden
the same year and became stepfather to her two sons. They had one daughter. He became a BBC reporter in 1954 and became head of the South European service at Bush House in 1964. His experiences in South Europe fuelled his interest in the region, particularly Greece
; he would later write guidebooks about the country.
Kark moved to the East European and Russian service in 1972. The following year he became Editor of the World Service. He advised the last governor of Rhodesia
, Lord Soames, on broadcasting the 1979 election in that country.
He became controller of engineering services in 1974. In 1980, he chaired the Harare
government report on radio and television in Zimbabwe
under Robert Mugabe
. In 1981 he began a two year tenure as Deputy Managing Director of External Broadcasting. He was promoted to Managing Director in 1984, exactly 30 years after he joined the BBC.
Kark was the man-in-the-middle of another great BBC controversy — the launching of the BBC World
television service to complement its radio counterpart. The idea was first mooted by Kark's predecessor, Douglas Muggeridge
— the nephew of the broadcaster Malcolm Muggeridge
. Kark retired in 1986.
Kark was a man of broad interests, especially involving southern Europe and the Commonwealth
. He became a trustee of the Commonwealth Journalists' Association in 1993. In retirement, he wrote Attic In Greece (1994), and The Forwarding Agent (1999), a spy thriller, set in the Middle East that was praised by the crime writer PD James, an old friend. Most of his book was written at his home in Nauplion, a small town in the Peloponnese
, where he and his wife, the novelist Nina Bawden
, spent much of their time. In London, the couple lived in Islington
, in a house backing on to the Grand Union Canal
. His hobbies included real tennis
, travelling and studying mosaics. He was a member of the Oriental Club
and MCC
, and was appointed CBE
in 1987.
Austen Kark died at the age of 75 in the Potters Bar rail crash
, in which his wife, the author Nina Bawden
, was severely injured.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(20 October 1926–10 May 2002) was a managing director of the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
. He was one of three former holders of that post, along with Gerard Mansell and John Tusa
John Tusa
Sir John Tusa is a British arts administrator, and radio and television journalist. From 1980 to 1986 he was a main presenter of BBC 2's Newsnight programme. From 1995 until 2007 he was managing director of the City of London's Barbican Arts Centre...
, to oppose the plans of John Birt to merge the service into the BBC. After Birt became director general of the BBC in 1992, he had planned to end the service's independent status at Bush House
Bush House
Bush House is a building between Aldwych and The Strand in London at the southern end of Kingsway. The BBC World Service occupies the Centre Block, North East and South East wings. The North West wing was formerly occupied by BBC Online until they relocated to BBC Media Village in 2005, with some...
in central London, and absorb it within the rest of the corporation.
Kark led a varied career before his tenure with the BBC. He was the son of a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
army major who became a publisher. He attended Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, the Nautical College in Pangbourne
Pangbourne
Pangbourne is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire. Pangbourne is the home of the independent school, Pangbourne College.-Location:...
, the Royal Naval College
Royal Naval College
Royal Naval College may refer to:* Royal Naval Academy in Portsmouth , renamed the Royal Naval College in 1806* Royal Naval College, Greenwich * Royal Naval College, Osborne...
, and Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
. He became a Royal Navy midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in 1944, serving two years with the East Indies fleet, aboard HMS Nelson and HMS London
HMS London (69)
HMS London was a member of the second group of the County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. She and her sisters; Sussex, Shropshire, and Devonshire differed from the earlier group of Counties, , by having a smaller forward superstructure, which was positioned slightly further aft, and next...
.
In 1948 at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Kark directed the first production of Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
's The Flies
The Flies
The Flies is a play by Jean-Paul Sartre, written in 1943. It is an adaptation of the Electra myth, previously used by the Greek playwrights Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides....
. He later joined his family's magazine business, Norman Kark Publications. One of its magazines was the glossy literary magazine Courier
Courier (Quarterly)
The Courier was a magazine published in Britain during the period 1938-1951, by Norman Kark Publications, Grand Buildings, Trafalgar Square, London. It was printed mainly on art paper and continued to be produced throughout World War II, in spite of the paper restrictions imposed...
. Kark married Margaret Schmahmann in 1949; they had two daughters. The couple divorced in 1954. Kark married Nina Bawden
Nina Bawden
Nina Bawden CBE is a popular British novelist and children's writer. Her mother was a teacher and her father a marine.-Life:...
the same year and became stepfather to her two sons. They had one daughter. He became a BBC reporter in 1954 and became head of the South European service at Bush House in 1964. His experiences in South Europe fuelled his interest in the region, particularly Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
; he would later write guidebooks about the country.
Kark moved to the East European and Russian service in 1972. The following year he became Editor of the World Service. He advised the last governor of Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
, Lord Soames, on broadcasting the 1979 election in that country.
He became controller of engineering services in 1974. In 1980, he chaired the Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
government report on radio and television in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
under Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
. In 1981 he began a two year tenure as Deputy Managing Director of External Broadcasting. He was promoted to Managing Director in 1984, exactly 30 years after he joined the BBC.
Kark was the man-in-the-middle of another great BBC controversy — the launching of the BBC World
BBC World
BBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
television service to complement its radio counterpart. The idea was first mooted by Kark's predecessor, Douglas Muggeridge
Douglas Muggeridge
Douglas Muggeridge was the controller of BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 from February 1969 until 1976.-Biography:Muggeridge first worked as a reporter for the Liverpool Post, joining the BBC in 1956 as a radio producer. He was appointed as controller of Radio 1 & 2 in February 1969...
— the nephew of the broadcaster Malcolm Muggeridge
Malcolm Muggeridge
Thomas Malcolm Muggeridge was an English journalist, author, media personality, and satirist. During World War II, he was a soldier and a spy...
. Kark retired in 1986.
Kark was a man of broad interests, especially involving southern Europe and the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
. He became a trustee of the Commonwealth Journalists' Association in 1993. In retirement, he wrote Attic In Greece (1994), and The Forwarding Agent (1999), a spy thriller, set in the Middle East that was praised by the crime writer PD James, an old friend. Most of his book was written at his home in Nauplion, a small town in the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
, where he and his wife, the novelist Nina Bawden
Nina Bawden
Nina Bawden CBE is a popular British novelist and children's writer. Her mother was a teacher and her father a marine.-Life:...
, spent much of their time. In London, the couple lived in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, in a house backing on to the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
. His hobbies included real tennis
Real tennis
Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended...
, travelling and studying mosaics. He was a member of the Oriental Club
Oriental Club
The Oriental Club in London is a traditional private members' club established in 1824 that now admits both gentlemen and ladies to membership...
and MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
, and was appointed CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1987.
Austen Kark died at the age of 75 in the Potters Bar rail crash
Potters Bar rail crash
There have been at least three railway accidents in Potters Bar, a town in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, just north of Greater London. One occurred in 1898, one in 1946 and the last in 2002.-1898:...
, in which his wife, the author Nina Bawden
Nina Bawden
Nina Bawden CBE is a popular British novelist and children's writer. Her mother was a teacher and her father a marine.-Life:...
, was severely injured.