In late 1987 I was made redundant again, and in my mid-30’s was finding difficulty in finding a new job. It was recession time which the government didn’t admit too (again) – which didn’t help.
I saw a small advert in one of the national newspapers, asking for someone with technical knowledge in electronics & broadcasting to phone them about a start up company with very exciting times ahead.
I phoned the number and after a brief interview , was offered a face-to-face interview at the Haycock Hotel in Wansford. At the interview were 2 men, Peter Payne and Andrew Neil – after about 45 minutes I was told that the interview was a success and I was offered the job as ‘the’ Installation Engineer for SKY TV.
My employment number was 002 (Peter Payne being 001) –
I met Andrew Neil on several occasions over the next 3 years.
Andrew Neil went on to become the editor of The Sunday Times and today is a powerful political commentator on various broadcast medium platforms.
Derek Jameson 1988
Sky was – and still is – based on an industrial estate in Isleworth, West London, well away from the central London HQs of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4
From day 1 – when I started to install Satellite TV systems into mainly shops, shopping centres and Sky TV’s employee’s, who included a chat show host of the day Derek Jameson, and a few others who I can not remember.
Our fortunes were sparse to say the least –
Our company was ridiculed by everyone, broadcasters, press, celebrities and Joe Blogs.
Murdoch was determined to make this the jewel in his empire. Every week more money would be provided – Andrew Neil returned to editing the Sunday Times in January 1990 to see off the about-to-launch Independent on Sunday. Murdoch then took personal control of Sky TV at a time losses were running at £10M a month, with the launch of rival satellite broadcaster BSB imminent.
By the end of our first year our team had grown to around 100, I being promoted to Area Manager and then Regional Manager in that time. Another year I became the National Service Manager for the UK.
One of my last challenges was to set up an outside broadcasting unit (I had no knowledge what-so-ever) – for the AC/DC concert @ Donington Park in August 1991 The two-hour show was performed before 72,500 spectators and included real cannons,
It was filmed in 35 mm Panavision and had 26 cameras that included one situated inside a helicopter. Although not quite a disaster, it was not broadcast live, and was eventually broadcast in a mix of our recording and that of the other units.
Alas by the end of 1991 ‘we’ had achieved all our goals and targets – the installation of one million Dishes to domestic customers, and the blow away and amalgamation of BSB to become BSkyB.
We were all made redundant at Christmas 1991 and it was my sorry job to finish 397 staff of the Installation Unit.
Many other parts to this story perhaps for another occasion – but the moral was and is – Mr Murdoch made a phenomenal success – blowing away all those critics of the early days, they then queuing to get onto a Sky Platform.
Today he may well have lost control of the Sky empire to Comcast, but it will have made him and his sons a vast amount of Millions if not Billions ££££.
Disney (whom I also worked for) is about to take over the rest of the empire (Fox & All)
Alas time moved on for me, and I went back to sea in 1992 until 1997
That’s another story for another time.
Did I have any shares in Sky TV – No -I didn’t – what a pity….and No I have never met Rupert Murdoch – but I’ve been in the same building on several occasions – does that count!!!!
