Abramsky Leaves BBC After Almost 40 Years

Jenny Abramsky, the BBC’s director of audio and music, is leaving the corporation after almost 40 years to chair the board of the National Heritage Memorial Fund.

Gordon Brown today announced that Abramsky would join the fund in September, bringing to an end the BBC career of one of its longest-serving senior executives.

Abramsky joined the BBC in 1969 as a programme operations assistant.

During almost four decades at the BBC she served as editor of Radio 4’s Today, World at One and PM; launch controller of BBC Radio Five Live; director of continuous news services, including News 24; and as director of radio, where she launched five digital stations.

From September, Abramsky will serve as an NHMF trustee and then succeed Dame Liz Forgan as chair in October. Abramsky will serve on the board of the fund until August 2011.

“Her contribution to the BBC has been immense and she will leave a precious and lasting legacy,” said BBC director general, Mark Thompson. “Everything she has done has been characterised by her legendary passion for the medium of radio and the BBC as a public service broadcaster, as well as her devotion to BBC audiences.”

Abramsky said in an email to staff that leaving the BBC after 39 years was a “wrench”.

“I have always believed that the BBC is the most important cultural institution in the UK,” she wrote.

“Its willingness to take risks, its ambition that permeates through its programmes and schedules, and the unsurpassed quality of its news output demonstrates every day that it can and does make a difference. I feel privileged to have been involved for so many years, and it’s been amazing fun.”

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