Update 47
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We started the week with a survey revealing that only 34% of the population at large now believe that Brexit was a good move. Even among Leave voters only 17% still believe in it - across the UK the mood is very different from that on June 23rd 2016.
I have spoken to several folk this week who are outraged by the suggestion they should pledge some sort of loyalty to the King. It does seem the most ludicrous, almost medieval idea to me and I will not be responding positively to the proposal. If you want to know, I’m neither a royalist nor a republican. I would happily vote for abandonment of the monarchy if someone could show me the system that would be an improvement. The American system delivered the idiot Head of State Trump, the French system delivered the convicted criminals Chirac and Sarkozy so I guess we‘re still looking for that better solution. Maybe the Irish (non political) approach should be examined?
Tuesday evening saw me in the Prince’s Royal Box at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane with Margaret, Jo and Simon. The complicated logistics of our attending the event were all taken care of by friends Simon Cole, Simon Ward and Jaci Hogan so we did not have to stress about anything. The ARIAS is a radio industry awards event organised by the Radio Academy, who invited me to be their guest of honour at the show. This was in recognition of my more than 60 years in the industry and more specifically of my role in helping to launch both the Academy itself and the original Sony Radio Academy Awards which I chaired for 13 years.
I estimate that there must have been 1500 radio professionals in the auditorium, many of whom would have been wondering “Who is this old bloke?”. Former Controller of Radio 4 and Director of BBC Radio, Helen Boaden, explained my role in the industry since 1962 and my ego was suitably, though probably undeservedly, inflated. While she was speaking the big screen displayed images of me with some of radio’s big stars with whom I have worked including Johnnie Walker, Paul Gambaccini and Tony Blackburn. An interesting feature of the evening was that Tony Blackburn and I had both been chosen for recognition. We had set out on our radio journey together in 1967 on the BBC Radio One breakfast show, he as presenter, me as his producer. Fifty-five years later we were set to be on stage together again. Unfortunately Tony was unable to attend the event having spent the last three weeks in hospital, but the warmth from the audience for him was palpable. We were positioned in the Prince’s Royal Box on which was directed a spotlight and I was given a radio mic in order to respond to Helen and cameras showed my image on the big screen.
If you’d like to see the video of Helen and my speech, you can watch it here.
On arrival In front of the press photographers
The four of us as I made my speech from the royal box at the end of the evening.
HeIen Boaden’s valediction on the night: “It’s no exaggeration to say that without Tim Blackmore, none of us would be here enjoying this 40th Awards ceremony to mark the very best and brightest in UK audio.
We honour Tim tonight not just because he was a founding member of The Radio Academy - though he was - nor because he worked with Alan Zafer to create the first ever Sony Radio Awards - though he did.
It’s because he did that rare and precious thing and kept the Awards going - through thick and thin.
The good times under Tim’s stewardship were memorable : like the electrifying moment when Grace Jones - in full voice - entered the Awards Hall from the back wearing only a pair of knickers, a lot of black feathers and boots which made her seven feet tall.
The bad times were more prosaic; struggling to get enough sponsorship; keeping the guests sober until their moment on stage and above all, sorting out the internecine warfare within the industry.
This business is founded on intense creative and commercial competition. It is full of big characters who know they are right. It loves its feuds and and its fighting.
For 13 years as Chair of the Sony Awards, Tim successfully managed all that ferocious passion with tact, determination and wit. I sat on his committee as Controller of Radio 4 and was in awe of his diplomatic skill.
Never believe anyone who tells you diplomacy is a soft pass, (especially if they’re Dominic Raab).
Like every brilliant diplomat, Tim had a steely focus on getting the outcome he wanted, a deep psychological understanding of how to persuade big egos to compromise and credibility - the vital ingredient which makes people trust you.
Tim’s credibility is built on decades of creative and business excellence; on his sure footed navigation of industry politics, on his consistency and integrity.
With Tim, what you see is what you get. And he is generous.
He could have spent the past 60 years focussing exclusively on his programmes and his business. Instead he did the careful work of building up networks and events where the whole industry could debate, celebrate and understand its strengths.
His long term business parter, Simon Cole, once told me “Tim does have enemies. You could get them inside a small telephone box”
In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Cassius says of Caesar “he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus”
In our world of radio and audio, Tim Blackmore is truly a Colossus. From the bottom of our hearts, let us thank and celebrate him.”
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