User:Artyguy/Richard James Ayre

Richard Jame Ayre is the member for England of the OFCOM Content Board and Chair of the Broadcast Review Commitee. He was formerly a BBC journalist where he was Head of BBC Westminster (1989-93), Controller of Editorial Policy (1993-96) and Deputy Chief Executive of BBC News (1996-2000).

BBC
During his period as Controller of Editorial Policy he re-wrote the BBC's Producer Guidelines into the most comprehensive manual of programme making ethics, which became a model for many broadcasters world wide. He established Britains first bi-media (television and radio) centre at BBC Millbank, introducing the first digital editing to network production. In 1995 Ayre played a key part in steering the Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales to air - a decision which infuriated the BBC's then Chairman Marmaduke Hussey.

Freedom of Information Work
After leaving the BBC Richard Ayre became a founder member of the board of the Food Standards Agency, Chair of Article 19 (1993-5), and Freedom of Information Adudicator for the Law Society. He led OFCOM's 2007 enquiry into abuse of premium rate telephone services in television programmes. He conducted a review of broadcasting in Kuwait following the invasion by Iraq and following the allied invassion he chaired the Editorial Review Board for Al Mirbad - the first indepentend Iraqi-run radio and TV station.