LONDON Reuter: Stuart Young chairman of the British Broadcasting Corporation for the past three years died after a long illness aged 52 the state funded broadcasting network announced.
Young an accountant by training had surgery for an unspecified illness two years ago The BBCs director general Alasdair Milne said his colleagues were devastated by the news.
When he became chairman three years ago it was obvious that he counted it the greatest honour of his life and his commitment to the corporation his enthusiasm and involvement in all its activities were the solid proof of that feeling Young who was only 49 when he took the BBC chairmanship was the brother of Employment Minister Lord Young.
He had vigorously rejected suggestions that the government scrap the license fees from which the BBC gains the bulk of its revenue and accept advertising instead.
He argued that maintaining the license fees which sustained the BBC as a Public Corporation ensured that the only competition with the independent radio and television networks was over quality of programmes.
But despite his strong words on the advertising question young was noted for his quiet but authoritative approach.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 5, 1986
