Former presenter and managing director at Radio Clyde
Born: December 10, 1935;
Died: April 9, 2018
ALEX Dickson, who has died aged 85, was a colourful and much loved character in Scottish broadcasting. He was a revered figure throughout the media in Scotland, he was a presenter and managing director at Radio Clyde and had been with the station since its inception on the 31st December 1973. It was the first independent radio station outside London and made an immediate impact. Sixty per cent of Clyde's catchment area tuned in and advertising revenue was good.
Broadcasters lead tributes to 'inspirational' former Radio Clyde MD Alex Dickson
Much of the success was due to the pioneering spirit and keen sense of broadcasting adventure that Mr Dickson and his friend and colleague Jimmy Gordon brought to the station. Mr Dickson was heard often from the station’s Glasgow headquarters and was able to find time to present several programmes live on air and also act as an imaginative head of news and later became the station's programme controller. He was acknowledged throughout the industry a man of immense energy and drive with a passion for news and broadcasting.
Alexander Dickson was born in Edinburgh but his mother died when he was 11 and his youth was divided between the capital and Kirkcaldy. He immediately went into journalism after school and joined the Scottish Daily Mail rising within a few years to become a valued features writer. In the mid Sixties he joined STV where he was a news reporter for the evening news. He was also involved, for over six years, in political programmes dealing with social matters.
He had a keen eye for a story – and how to follow it up. So it was no surprise that in 1973 he was offered a senior post at Radio Clyde. It was an inspired appointment and Mr Dickson became a leading figure in the creation of the station.
His training as a journalist, and his ability to get to grips with complex subjects, allowed him to present a wide range of the programmes. He was in charge of three book programmes a week: on Monday he interviewed authors, on Wednesday he reviewed the latest hard backs and on Thursday it was paper backs. For two hours from 10 in the evening he brought an air of relaxed informality to the world of books and writing. Mr Dickson also attracted the stars. He interviewed such Hollywood celebrities as Lauren Bacall, Charlton Heston and – a special favourite – Sophia Loren.
Mr Dickson was also involved with Talk-in Sunday, a programme focusing on Glasgow and the west of Scotland. It dealt with everything from the day the bins went out to national issues and gave airtime to the hugely successful Glasgow’s Miles Better campaign. The programme became acknowledged as a genuine voice of Glasgow.
Mr Dickson remained an incisive broadcaster who could vary his style with the times. In 1995 he recognised this when he argued the days of the chirpy DJ were disappearing. "Presenters are there to enhance the listener's pleasure," he said. "They need to be intelligent enough to know when to keep quiet."
Mr Dickson was affectionately known by colleagues as the Wing Commander. He was a keen member of the RAF Auxiliary Reserve and in 1990 served with the RAF in Kuwait.
One of his lasting – and dear to his heart – legacies at Radio Clyde was the station’s Cash For Kids charity. Mr Dickson, along with Jimmy Gordon and Richard Park, inaugurated the hugely successful project in 1981. In that first year the scheme raised £1.5million and last year 100,000 children were given assistance in Glasgow and the West. The charity has grown substantially and has mushroomed to include other charitable projects. Last year it raised £32million.
Mr Dickson retired from his administrative responsibilities in 2007 but continued to present his book programme. He won many broadcasting awards and was awarded the Lord Provost of Glasgow’s medal in 2000. But his thirst for new experiences never flagged and in the last few years he studied for a degree in military history at Glasgow University.
Paul Cooney, who succeeded Mr Dickson as managing director of Scottish Radio Holdings, was given his first job by Mr Dickson. He told The Herald, “Alex was larger than life, hugely energetic and had a genuine and real commitment to the west of Scotland. He was a hard worker who was a pioneering force at Radio Clyde.
“He was a man of much integrity, charm and ability. He maintained high standards all his life: his management skills were precise but always practical. As a presenter he was superb: Alex was a remarkable broadcaster.”
Alex Dickson is survived by his wife Anna and their son Simon.
ALASDAIR STEVEN
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