Jenny Abramsky

Early life and education

Born to a Jewish family, she was the daughter of Miriam, a social worker and former communist who was on Brick Lane during Oswald Mosley's fascist marches, and Chimen Abramsky, a professor of Jewish studies and rare book expert. One of her grandfathers was Yehezkel Abramsky, a prominent Orthodox rabbi and scholar who headed the London Beth Din rabbinical court for 17 years.

In her youth Abramsky wished to become a ballerina, going so far as to study with the Rambert Dance Company; even attempting to join the Royal Ballet but failing supposedly due to her short stature of only 5 ft. She was educated at Holland Park Comprehensive School, London, and then completed her education at the University of East Anglia, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English.

Career

In 1969, she joined the BBC as a programmes operations assistant, and in 1973 was appointed as a producer of The World at One. She became the first woman editor of the agenda-setting Today programme, ran the first Gulf War Radio 4 News FM service, and went on to launch Britain's first continuous news and sport radio station, BBC Radio 5 Live, before launching the television channel BBC News 24. She launched the BBC's online news website, news.bbc.co.uk. She was named Director of BBC Radio in January 1999 and was subsequently promoted to the BBC's executive board with overall responsibility for BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Live and the BBC's digital radio stations 1Xtra, BBC 7, 6 Music, 5 Live Sports Extra and the Asian Network; the three BBC orchestras based in England; and the Proms. In 2006 she became Director of Audio and Music – adding online services, audio on demand and podcasting to her remit of broadcast radio.

She had an annual programming budget of £236 million (about US$475m) and a staff of 1,681. Under her leadership, by the first three months of 2007 the BBC's radio stations had an audience share of 56.6 percent – compared with the 13.9 percent of listeners shared by all commercial radio broadcasters – and a reach of almost 33.5 million people – a record, according to Guardian newspaper (9 July 2007). The paper listed Abramsky as the 18th most powerful person in the UK's media, though she had slipped from No. 11 in the paper's 2006 ranking.

Post-BBC

It was announced in June 2008 that Abramsky was retiring from the BBC after 39 years of service, to be replaced by Tim Davie. After leaving the BBC she began focusing her efforts on preserving cultural sites. She currently serves on the board of trustees for the UK's largest youth drama festival, the Shakespeare Schools Festival and is a Fellow of The Radio Academy. She is Chair of Trustees of National Life Stories and of the Royal Academy of Music. She previously served as Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund (now The National Lottery Heritage Fund) as well.

In 2016 she was appointed to the trustees of Canal & River Trust the charity responsible for 2000 miles of canals and rivers in England & Wales. In 2017 she was appointed to be the deputy Chair of Canal & River Trust. She is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee, and is chair of the appointments committee. In April 2024, she was appointed as the Chancellor of the University of East Anglia.

Personal life

Abramsky married Alasdair Liddell, a former head of planning for the NHS, in 1976. They had two children and were married until his death from an aneurism on 31 December 2012.

Honours

Abramsky was elevated from Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours. She was further elevated to Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 2024 Birthday Honours.

She was also one of the first nine people to be inducted into the Digital Radio Hall of Fame.

Notes

References

1. (10 April 2008). "Appointment of chair to the National Heritage Memorial Fund". 10 Downing Street.
2. (2013-01-04). "Ex-NHS policy chief Alasdair Liddell dies aged 63".
3. (30 Dec 2008). "New Year Honours list". The Telegraph.
4. (2005-11-01). "Archers star Wimbush dies at 81".
5. (2018-06-12). "Digital Radio Hall of Fame members announced".
6. (2004-11-08). "Jenny Abramsky: The listener".
7. Rapoport-Albert, Ada. (2010-03-18). "Chimen Abramsky obituary". The Guardian.
8. Summerskill, Ben. (3 February 2002). "Observer Profile: Jenny Abramsky".
9. Owen, Jonathan. (2014-07-27). "Dame Jenny Abramsky: 'We have to rethink. If not, museums and parks".
10. Reynolds, Gillian. (2014-03-26). "How Radio 5 Live found its voice". The Daily Telegraph.
11. (2017-01-30). "Evening Standard editor moves to Today". BBC News.
12. Bowman, Verity. (2020-01-30). "Radio 4's Today programme editor Sarah Sands resigns amid BBC cuts". The Telegraph.
13. Mosey, Roger. (2020-06-05). "The BBC's top job has never been tougher – but Tim Davie has the skills to succeed".
14. (27 September 2007). "The Media Guardian 100". The Guardian.
15. BBC Press Office, [https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/06_june/27/davie.shtml "Tim Davie appointed as Director of BBC Audio & Music"], 27 June 2008
16. "Governing Body".
17. Atkinson, Rebecca. (20 June 2012). "Museums to benefit from endowments fund".
18. Atkinson, Rebecca. (12 October 2012). "First world war centenary plans announced".
19. C&RT Board of Trustees, [https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/how-we-are-run/board-of-trustees "Jenny was appointed as a trustee in September 2016"], Sept 2016
20. (2024-04-24). "Dame Jenny Abramsky is new University of East Anglia chancellor".
21. Dickson, Niall. (11 January 2013). "Alasdair Liddell obituary". The Guardian.
22. {{London Gazette. (31 December 2008)
23. "Birthday Honours List 2024".