Martin J. O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Martin J. O'Connor was a British
television producer
and executive. He started his career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(CBC) in 1954 as an assistant sports producer, working primarily in radio, working his way up to full sports production duties. He later moved to Australia where he worked with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC) as a sports producer for TV and radio. He returned to the UK in 1959 and joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a producer for sports and outside broadcast features, becoming Head of Sport in 1961. He was the Executive Producer for the BBC's coverage of the 1962 and 1966 FIFA Football World Cup, the latter hosted in England by the BBC
, and the Commonwealth Games in the same years. He was also Executive Producer for the BBC's coverage of both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games in 1960 and 1964. He regularly oversaw various BBC sports coverage of Rugby, Football and Wimbledon. O'Connor regularly produced the BBC's premier sports shows Grandstand
, Sportsview and Sportsnight
.
In 1967, he left the BBC to join the London based ITV
station Thames Television
, ahead of their launch in 1968 as head of Sport. But he returned to the BBC
in 1971 to take up the post of Head of Outside Broadcasts, again overseeing coverage of the 1972 and 1976 Olympiads and the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cup and Commonwealth Games as Executive Producer, as well as overseeing most of the BBC's 'live' non-news event coverage, spanning light entertainment and features. In 1977, he was appointed Deputy Controller of BBC1 and through 1979/1980 fulfilled the role of Controller of BBC1 whilst Bill Cotton
was recovering from a bout of ill health. In 1982, O'Connor became Managing Director of BBC Television, a post held until 1984. In 1985, he retired from the BBC
and became an executive with both Thames Television
and Noel Gay TV, overseeing Thames TV's failed bid to retain their ITV franchise in 1991. O'Connor also served on the UK's Government's "Peacock" commission into broadcasting.
He died in 1999.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television producer
Radio producer
A radio producer oversees the making of a radio show. There are two main types of producer. An audio or creative producer and a content producer. Audio producers create sounds and audio specifically, content producers oversee and orchestrate a radio show or feature...
and executive. He started his career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(CBC) in 1954 as an assistant sports producer, working primarily in radio, working his way up to full sports production duties. He later moved to Australia where he worked with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC) as a sports producer for TV and radio. He returned to the UK in 1959 and joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a producer for sports and outside broadcast features, becoming Head of Sport in 1961. He was the Executive Producer for the BBC's coverage of the 1962 and 1966 FIFA Football World Cup, the latter hosted in England by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, and the Commonwealth Games in the same years. He was also Executive Producer for the BBC's coverage of both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games in 1960 and 1964. He regularly oversaw various BBC sports coverage of Rugby, Football and Wimbledon. O'Connor regularly produced the BBC's premier sports shows Grandstand
Grandstand (BBC)
Grandstand was a British television sport programme. Broadcast between 1958 and 2007, it was one of the BBC's longest running sports shows, alongside BBC Sports Personality of the Year.Its first presenter was Peter Dimmock...
, Sportsview and Sportsnight
Sportsnight
Sportsnight was a midweek BBC television sports programme that ran from 1968 until 1997.-Sportsview:Sportsnight was a successor to Sportsview which started on 8 April 1954. Sportsview was devised by Paul Fox, later Controller of BBC1 and Peter Dimmock was the original host for a decade...
.
In 1967, he left the BBC to join the London based ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
station Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
, ahead of their launch in 1968 as head of Sport. But he returned to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1971 to take up the post of Head of Outside Broadcasts, again overseeing coverage of the 1972 and 1976 Olympiads and the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cup and Commonwealth Games as Executive Producer, as well as overseeing most of the BBC's 'live' non-news event coverage, spanning light entertainment and features. In 1977, he was appointed Deputy Controller of BBC1 and through 1979/1980 fulfilled the role of Controller of BBC1 whilst Bill Cotton
Bill Cotton
Sir William Frederick "Bill" Cotton, CBE was a British television producer and executive, and the son of big-band leader Billy Cotton....
was recovering from a bout of ill health. In 1982, O'Connor became Managing Director of BBC Television, a post held until 1984. In 1985, he retired from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and became an executive with both Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
and Noel Gay TV, overseeing Thames TV's failed bid to retain their ITV franchise in 1991. O'Connor also served on the UK's Government's "Peacock" commission into broadcasting.
He died in 1999.