Silvester Bolam
Encyclopedia
Silvester Bolam was a British
newspaper editor.
Born in Tynemouth
, Northumberland
, Bolam studied at the University of Durham's Armstrong College
before joining the Newcastle Journal. He then moved to work for the News Chronicle
, and in 1936 became a sub-editor on the Daily Mirror. Although he left in 1938 to rejoin the News Chronicle, he returned ten months later, and in 1948 became the newspaper's editor.
As editor, Bolam focussed on a strategy of sensationalism
, and was able to make the Mirror Britain's best-selling daily newspaper. In 1949, he was convicted of publishing material which might have prejudiced the trial of John George Haigh
(later convicted of murder), and was jailed for three months. By 1953, he had fallen out with the paper's editorial director and resigned. He died a few months later.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
newspaper editor.
Born in Tynemouth
Tynemouth
Tynemouth is a town and a historic borough in Tyne and Wear, England, at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats . It is administered as part of the borough of North Tyneside, but until 1974 was an independent county borough in its own right...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, Bolam studied at the University of Durham's Armstrong College
Armstrong College
Armstrong College may refer to:* Armstrong Atlantic State University, formerly known as Armstrong College* Armstrong College, a former college of Durham University* Armstrong College, a former college in Berkeley, California...
before joining the Newcastle Journal. He then moved to work for 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:...
, and in 1936 became a sub-editor on the Daily Mirror. Although he left in 1938 to rejoin the News Chronicle, he returned ten months later, and in 1948 became the newspaper's editor.
As editor, Bolam focussed on a strategy of sensationalism
Sensationalism
Sensationalism is a type of editorial bias in mass media in which events and topics in news stories and pieces are over-hyped to increase viewership or readership numbers...
, and was able to make the Mirror Britain's best-selling daily newspaper. In 1949, he was convicted of publishing material which might have prejudiced the trial of John George Haigh
John George Haigh
John George Haigh , commonly known as the "Acid Bath Murderer" , was an English serial killer during the 1940s. He was convicted of the murders of six people, although he claimed to have killed nine...
(later convicted of murder), and was jailed for three months. By 1953, he had fallen out with the paper's editorial director and resigned. He died a few months later.