Robert Fraser

Who was Robert Fraser?

Sir Robert Fraser was an Australian who found success in the United Kingdom as a journalist, civil servant and eventually as the first Director General of the British Independent Television Authority.

Originally hailing from Adelaide, Australia, Fraser came to the United Kingdom in the 1920s to follow up his degree from Melbourne University with further study at the London School of Economics. He worked as a writer for the Daily Herald newspaper before unsuccessfully attempting to get elected to Parliament in 1935. During the Second World War, Fraser joined the Ministry of Information where he became Head of Publications and launched a successful series of informative booklets about the war effort.

However, Fraser is probably best known for his contribution to the ITV system through his work with the Independent Television Authority. He took the post of Director General at the ITA's inauguration in 1954, having been encouraged to do so by his friend Norman Collins and the ITA Chairman Kenneth Clark. Fraser continued in the post until 1970, supervising most of the initial construction and development of ITV.