Charles Hill, Baron Hill of Luton, PC (15 January 1904 – 22 August 1989) was a British physician and medical spokesman, radio speaker, member of parliament, government minister and broadcasting executive.[1]
During the Second World War, the Ministry of Health had wanted the BBC to infiltrate health messages into ordinary programmes rather than have dedicated programmes from the Ministry of Food, but the BBC warned that this would not be effective and would be viewed by listeners as patronising. Consequently, Hill's role as the "Radio Doctor" became part of the Ministry of Food's programme, Kitchen Front, broadcast every morning from 1942.[3] Because of the then rules about members of the medical profession advertising he could not broadcast under his own name, and so was just 'The Radio Doctor'. His distinctive rich voice helped make an impact.[1]
He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food in 1951. He became the Postmaster-General (a non-cabinet ministerial position with responsibilities that included broadcasting) in 1955; during his period in office he publicly berated the BBC for its reporting of the Suez Crisis. In May 1956, Hill attempted to formalise the existing agreement by which discussions or statements about matters before Parliament could not be broadcast in the fortnight preceding any debate (the 'fourteen-day rule'). However, the Suez Crisis rendered this policy unworkable in practice and the government agreed to its suspension at the end of the year. Hill, who had been uneasy about the implications of the rule for freedom of expression, was relieved.[6]
He was appointed as the Chairman of the Independent Television Authority in 1963, where he continued his hostile attitude towards the BBC. He was created a life peer on 13 June 1963 as Baron Hill of Luton, of Harpenden in the County of Hertford.[8] In 1967, Hill announced that all the ITV contracts were to be re-advertised, because he was concerned about the large profits being made by the major companies and their lack of regional identity. This resulted in a radical reorganisation of the ITV network.[9]
He succeeded Lord Normanbrook as the Chairman of the BBC Governors (1967–1972), having been appointed by the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, to "sort out" the Corporation.[10] His appointment as BBC chairman surprised the BBC's Governors and several resigned. Sir Robert Lusty, the acting chairman, commented that "it was like inviting Rommel to command the Eighth Army on the eve of Alamein".[11][1]
Harold Wilson encouraged Lord Hill to be active in editorial decisions. Hill had a difficult relationship with the Director-General of the BBC, Hugh Greene, and he eventually forced Greene to resign in 1969. Greene later described Hill as a "vulgarian". He had a quieter relationship with Greene's successor, Charles Curran. He retired from the BBC in 1972 and died in 1989, aged 85.[2]
He married Marion Spencer Wallace, with whom he had two sons and three daughters.[12]
Selected Publications
Hill of Luton Charles Hill. (1936) The Development of Osteopathy.
Hill Charles and H. A Clegg. (1937). What Is Osteopathy? London: J.M. Dent & Sons.
Hill of Luton Charles Hill and Great Britain Ministry of Information. (1943) Wise Eating in Wartime. H.M. Stationery Office
Hill of Luton Charles Hill. (1944) Your Body; How It Works and How to Keep It Working Well. London: Burke.
Hill of Luton Charles Hill. (1950). Bringing Up Your Child. London: Phoenix House.
Hill of Luton Charles Hill. (1952) The Radio Doctor’s Dictionary of Health. Phoenix House.
Hill of Luton Charles Hill. (1964) Both Sides of the Hill [by] Lord Hill of Luton. Heinemann.
Luton, Hill of (1974). Behind the screen: the broadcasting memoirs of Lord Hill of Luton. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN978-0-283-98181-4.
