Geoffrey Goodman
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Goodman CBE
(born 1921, Stockport
, Cheshire
, now Greater Manchester
) is a British journalist, broadcaster and writer.
An RAF
pilot during his war service (1941-6), Goodman studied at the London School of Economics
under Harold Laski
. After working on the News Chronicle
, Daily Herald and Manchester Guardian
(1946-7) amongst other newspapers, he joined the Daily Mirror in 1969, retiring in 1986. By then he was industrial editor of Mirror Group Newspapers, a columnist and assistant editor of the Mirror (1976-86). For a brief period (July 1975-August 1976) he headed a counter-inflationary unit for the Labour government. He was the founding editor of the British Journalism Review. In 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bedfordshire for his distinguished services to journalism.
Geoffrey Goodman's books include a biography of the trade union leader and politician Frank Cousins
, The Awkward Warrior (1979), and a memoir From Bevan to Blair: Fifty Years Reporting from the Political Frontline (2003).
Goodman's articles cover a wide range of subjects, from the socioeconomic makeup of the small town of Sellafield
in 1959, around the UK's first nuclear power station to the role of journalism in the Balkan conflict.
When interviewed by Dan Carrier on 3 February 2011 , Goodman said that overhearing current affairs being discussed in the local dairy, especially it being said that the newspapers refused to print stories about the Prince of Wales with Wallis Simpson, "despite most of us knowing exactly what is going on" had an effect on his choice of career as political journalist. When considering how the role of the Press had changed over his lifetime, he said that the level of information readily available to people was "inconceivable" when he first started, "But what we do not have is the depth of knowledge, and this translates into a lack of understanding about key current issues. In the old days you had time to reflect. This does not exist now, because of the urge to be first with a scoop, no matter how weak and spurious that scoop is."
are archived at the University of Warwick
. These include files relating to the Mirror Group, the Press Council, Scottish Daily News, advertising, editorial standards and journalism, newspaper distribution, the provincial and foreign press, Harold Wilson
's evidence and transcripts of oral evidence, press cuttings, interim report, 1974-77, and papers relating to his biography of Frank Cousins. They also include notes from interviews with Frank Cousins
, Jack Jones
, Harold Wilson
, Harry Nicholas
, James Callaghan
, Baroness (Dora) Gaitskell, Harold Macmillan
and Aneurin Bevan
.
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...
(born 1921, Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, now Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
) is a British journalist, broadcaster and writer.
An RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
pilot during his war service (1941-6), Goodman studied at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
under Harold Laski
Harold Laski
Harold Joseph Laski was a British Marxist, political theorist, economist, author, and lecturer, who served as the chairman of the Labour Party during 1945-1946, and was a professor at the LSE from 1926 to 1950....
. After working on the News Chronicle
News Chronicle
The News Chronicle was a British daily newspaper. It ceased publication on 17 October 1960, being absorbed into the Daily Mail. Its offices were in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8DP, England.-Daily Chronicle:...
, Daily Herald and Manchester Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
(1946-7) amongst other newspapers, he joined the Daily Mirror in 1969, retiring in 1986. By then he was industrial editor of Mirror Group Newspapers, a columnist and assistant editor of the Mirror (1976-86). For a brief period (July 1975-August 1976) he headed a counter-inflationary unit for the Labour government. He was the founding editor of the British Journalism Review. In 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bedfordshire for his distinguished services to journalism.
Geoffrey Goodman's books include a biography of the trade union leader and politician Frank Cousins
Frank Cousins
Frank Cousins PC was a British trade union leader and Labour politician.He was born in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, and became a full-time official in the road transport section of the Transport and General Workers' Union in July 1938...
, The Awkward Warrior (1979), and a memoir From Bevan to Blair: Fifty Years Reporting from the Political Frontline (2003).
Goodman's articles cover a wide range of subjects, from the socioeconomic makeup of the small town of Sellafield
Sellafield
Sellafield is a nuclear reprocessing site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England. The site is served by Sellafield railway station. Sellafield is an off-shoot from the original nuclear reactor site at Windscale which is currently undergoing...
in 1959, around the UK's first nuclear power station to the role of journalism in the Balkan conflict.
When interviewed by Dan Carrier on 3 February 2011 , Goodman said that overhearing current affairs being discussed in the local dairy, especially it being said that the newspapers refused to print stories about the Prince of Wales with Wallis Simpson, "despite most of us knowing exactly what is going on" had an effect on his choice of career as political journalist. When considering how the role of the Press had changed over his lifetime, he said that the level of information readily available to people was "inconceivable" when he first started, "But what we do not have is the depth of knowledge, and this translates into a lack of understanding about key current issues. In the old days you had time to reflect. This does not exist now, because of the urge to be first with a scoop, no matter how weak and spurious that scoop is."
Royal Commission on the Press
Goodman's papers relating to the Royal Commission on the PressRoyal Commission on the Press, United Kingdom
In 1947 the National Union of Journalists argued for a Royal Commission to investigate the risk to freedom of expression caused by increasing concentration of ownership of the press and the potential influence of advertisers on editorial content...
are archived at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
. These include files relating to the Mirror Group, the Press Council, Scottish Daily News, advertising, editorial standards and journalism, newspaper distribution, the provincial and foreign press, Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
's evidence and transcripts of oral evidence, press cuttings, interim report, 1974-77, and papers relating to his biography of Frank Cousins. They also include notes from interviews with Frank Cousins
Frank Cousins
Frank Cousins PC was a British trade union leader and Labour politician.He was born in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, and became a full-time official in the road transport section of the Transport and General Workers' Union in July 1938...
, Jack Jones
Jack Jones
Jack Jones may refer to:In the arts*Jack Jones , Welsh novelist and playwright*Jack Jones , American jazz and pop singer*Jack Jones , singer now known as Irwin ThomasIn politics...
, Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
, Harry Nicholas
Harry Nicholas
Herbert Richard Nicholas was a trade unionist and political organiser.Born in Bristol, Nicholas worked for the Port of Bristol Authority until 1936, when he took a full-time post in the Transport and General Workers' Union . He moved to London to become National Officer in 1940, and in 1956 rose...
, James Callaghan
James Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC , was a British Labour politician, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980...
, Baroness (Dora) Gaitskell, Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
and Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
.