- Craig Oliver (media executive)
-
Craig Oliver Downing Street Director of Communications In office
28 February 2011 – PresentPrime Minister David Cameron Personal details Born Craig Stewart Oliver
15 May 1969
Nottinghamshire, England, UKSpouse(s) Joanna Gosling (1996–present)[1] Relations Ian Oliver (father) Children 3 Alma mater University of St Andrews
Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural StudiesOccupation Journalist, media executive Craig Stewart Oliver (born 15 May 1969) is a British news editor, producer and media executive, and the current Head of Communications for British Prime Minister David Cameron.[2] Previously, he was Controller of English news output for BBC Global News, responsible for commissioning the news content for the Corporation's English language Global services, including the BBC World Service, BBC World News and BBC News Online.
Contents
Early life and career
Oliver was born in the English county of Nottinghamshire, but raised in Scotland after his family relocated there. He attended Stirling High School, where he was a contemporary of the presenter Kirsty Young,[3] then went on to read English literature at the University of St Andrews.[4][5] After graduating with a diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the Cardiff School of Journalism,[6][5] he began his media career in 1992 as a reporter for STV.[7] One of his first assignments for the station was covering a fire in a block of flats in Glasgow's Easterhouse district.[7] In 1993 he joined ITN as a trainee reporter, after which he became a producer on ITV's flagship News at Ten bulletin.[8] With the launch of Channel Five in 1997 he moved from News at Ten to become programme editor of Five News, but returned to ITV in 1999 as senior programme editor for ITV Evening News. He moved to Channel Four News in 2002, but once again returned to ITV News the following year when he was appointed as Head of Output. He was later promoted to Head of Network News Programming.[8]
Oliver joined the BBC in 2006, where he became editor of BBC One's Ten O'Clock News,[9] He was also editor of the channel's Six O'Clock News.[10] In May 2009 Oliver was appointed as the new deputy head of the Corporation's multimedia newsroom, replacing Mary Hockaday, who had been promoted the previous month to be the new head of the operation that oversees all BBC News output.[11] Oliver was subsequently appointed Controller of English, BBC Global News in April 2010, with responsibility for multiplatform commissioning of all BBC Global News English output.[12] He took up this role after editing the BBC's 2010 general election coverage.[10] At BBC World, he was part of the team which oversaw cuts to the Corporation's World Service.[3]
On 2 February 2011 he was appointed Andy Coulson's replacement as Director of Communications at 10 Downing St.[13] He took up this position on 28 February.[14] He committed his first political faux pas at the following weekend's Conservative Party Spring Conference after accidentally showing his notes for David Cameron's keynote speech to photographers.[15] In June 2011 the Mail on Sunday reported that a fake Downing Street Twitter account had been set up in Oliver's name and used to make comedic rekarks about politicians and journalists. The site attracted 1,200 followers before it was exposed as a hoax.[16]
Personal life
Craig Oliver is married to the BBC News presenter Joanna Gosling.[9] The couple have three children.[17] The family live in Chiswick, West London, in a house purchased in 2004 from the sports presenter Mark Pougatch.[18] His father, Dr. Ian Oliver, was Chief Constable of Central Scotland Police, then later of Grampian Police.[3]
Business interests
In June 2010 Oliver became a director of BBC World News Limited.[19] He has served as company secretary of Paya Ltd, a company founded by his wife, since 2005, but declared his intention to relinquish this role on taking up his position at Downing Street.[18]
References
- ^ Gordon, Jane (8 October 2011). "Interiors special: The busy woman's guide to everything". Mail Online (Associated Newspapers Ltd). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2045094/Interiors-special-The-busy-womans-guide-everything.html. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
- ^ "PM finds his man". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2011/02/holding.html. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
- ^ a b c Barnes, Eddie (5 February 2011). "Who is Craig Oliver and how will the Scot fare as David Cameron's new communications director?". The Scotsman. http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Who-is--Craig-Oliver.6710647.jp.
- ^ Burrell, Ian (3 February 2011). "Cameron raids the BBC for his new king of spin". The Independent (Independent Print Limited). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-raids-the-bbc-for-his-new-king-of-spin-2202665.html#. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ a b "Profile: Craig Oliver". BBC News (BBC). 2 February 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12346958. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ "Diploma and Masters Options". Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/jomec/degreeprogrammes/pgdiploma/aboutthediploma/index.html. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ a b "Craig Oliver’s first appearance on camera". stv.tv. 2 February 2011. http://news.stv.tv/scotland/225374-craig-olivers-first-appearance-on-camera/. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ a b "Biographies: Craig Oliver". BBC Press Office. BBC. August 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/bbc_world/craig_oliver.shtml. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ a b "Media Diary". The Observer. 19 February 2006. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/feb/19/business.theobserver. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ a b Sweney, Mark (6 May 2010). "Kevin Bakhurst named deputy head of BBC Newsroom". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/may/06/kevin-backhurst-bbc-newsroom. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ Lutt, Oliver (20 May 2009). "Craig Oliver made deputy head of BBC multimedia newsroom". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/20/craig-oliver-deputy-head-bbc-multimedia-newsroom. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ "BBC Global News announces three senior management appointments". BBC Press Office (BBC). 30 April 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/04_april/30/ws_appointments.shtml. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ "BBC's Craig Oliver replacing Andy Coulson at No 10". BBC News (BBC). 2 February 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12348159. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
- ^ "It's spin doctor Dre! Cameron's new press chief arrives at Downing Street with trendy bag and hip-hop headphones". Mail Online (Associated Newspapers Ltd). 28 February 2011. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361457/Its-spin-doctor-Dre-Camerons-new-press-chief-arrives-Downing-Street-trendy-bag-hip-hop-headphones.html?ito=feeds-newsxml. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
- ^ "David Cameron's new man makes first gaffe". Telegraph Online (Telegraph Media Group). 7 March 2011. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/8365111/David-Camerons-new-man-makes-first-gaffe.html. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
- ^ Petre, Jonathan (12 June 2011). "'No matter how often he's told, Clegg is still pulling his glum face': The hoax that left MPs all a twitter". The Mail on Sunday (Associated Newspapers Ltd). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002663/No-matter-hes-told-Clegg-pulling-glum-face-The-hoax-left-MPs-twitter.html?ito=feeds-newsxml. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
- ^ Chapman, James (3 February 2011). "BBC journalist appointed as Cameron’s new communications chief after Andy Coulson’s departure". Mail Online (Associated Newspapers Ltd). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1352968/BBCs-Craig-Oliver-Camerons-spin-doctor-Andy-Coulson-phone-hacking-row.html. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
- ^ a b Lewis, Jason (5 February 2011). "David Cameron's new spin doctor and his tax avoidance plan". Telegraph Online (Telegraph Media Group). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/8306003/David-Camerons-new-spin-doctor-and-his-tax-avoidance-plan.html. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
- ^ "Companies House website". Company number 04514407. http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
External links
Blair Ministry Brown Ministry Polly Billington · Stephen Carter · Dan Corry · Gavin Kelly · David Muir · Damian McBride · Sue Nye · Tom Scholar · Shriti VaderaCameron Ministry Luke Coffey · Andy Coulson · Arminka Helic · Steve Hilton · Edward Llewellyn · Jonny Oates · Craig Oliver · Richard Reeves · Philippa StroudCategories:- 1969 births
- People from Nottinghamshire
- Alumni of Cardiff University
- Alumni of the University of St Andrews
- STV newsreaders and journalists
- BBC executives
- British special advisers
- Living people
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
