UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 11 JANUARY 2017
The head of the BBC has been awarded a top university honour recognising his outstanding contribution to media and the arts.
Tony Hall, Lord Hall of Birkenhead and Director General of the BBC, has received an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University, celebrating a career spanning more than 30 years with the Corporation.
Hall spent part of his school education at Birmingham’s King Edwards School before going on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford.
He began his career as a trainee at the BBC’s Belfast newsroom before going on to become a producer on top shows including Today and The World at One.
After various roles with the Corporation, Hall was appointed Chief Executive of BBC News from 1996 to 2001 before being installed as Director General in 2012.
While at the BBC he has been behind the launch of flagship TV and Radio channels Radio 5 live, BBC News Online, BBC Parliament and the BBC News Channel.
Tony Hall said: “Thank you for allowing me to join in today it is a huge honour to be here.
“Meeting students reminds me what really matters about jobs like mine and what I love about the role, and that’s taking every opportunity to give people a chance to shine. To encourage them to perform to the best of their ability and that, by the way, applies to all talents, back stage as well as on the stage.
Hall received the Honorary Doctorate at a ceremony held a Birmingham’s Symphony Hall alongside students graduating from the University’s faculty of Arts, Design and Media.
Outside of the BBC he also spent 10 years as Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, was founding Chair of Creative & Cultural Skills, Chair of the Cultural Olympiad Committee and a member of the organising committee for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
He was appointed a CBE in 2005 and in 2010 was created a life peer with the title Baron Hall of Birkenhead. He sits on the Crossbenches in the House of Lords.