This is taken from The Times, November 18, 2008:

Brian Gearing: former editor of the Radio Times
He brought the Radio Times and the BBC closer together

In millions of British homes the arrival of the Christmas edition of the Radio Times came to play an integral role in the eager anticipation of the festive season. As its editor for eight years, Brian Gearing demonstrated a regard for that developing tradition and for older ones, while steering the magazine successfully through protracted printing disputes.

Brian Frank Gearing was born in Tonbridge, Kent, in 1935; the middle of three brothers, he was brought up in a working-class family in Tunbridge Wells. He was educated at The Skinners’ grammar school, but left at 15 to join the Kent and Sussex Courier as a junior reporter in his home town, after braving the ordeal of an unusual interview. It was conducted by the editor in the silent but intimidating company of a man, later identified as the chief sub-editor, seated in a corner and hidden by a copy of The Times.

During his six-month probationary period the young Gearing’s survival was ensured by his natural talent, perpetual cheerfulness and irrepressible enthusiasm, qualities that would be noted by colleagues throughout his career, including one at the Courier, Bob Friend, later to work as a BBC correspondent and Sky News presenter (obituary, October 9, 2008).

Gearing performed two years’ National Service with the RAF at West Drayton, Middlesex, before completing his four years’ indentures and then moved on to the Brighton Evening Argus. He also worked in the London newsrooms of Reuters, the Daily Mirror and as chief sub-editor of the popular Woman’s Own magazine before he joined the Radio Times in 1968.

By the time he succeeded Geoffrey Cannon as editor of the country’s biggest-selling weekly magazine 12 years later, Gearing was well versed in its ways, having worked as a features writer, chief features sub-editor, production editor and programme editor. While Cannon had seen a need for an occasional avant-garde contribution, Gearing favoured a more comfortable style and commissioned a weekly cookery feature by Delia Smith and a regular gardening series by Geoffrey Smith. But these were unexpectedly followed by a cheeky cover illustration by the Hollywood animator, Chuck Jones. It depicted one of his most famous creations, Bugs Bunny, reading the Radio Times, with a caption which poked fun at the rival TV Times’ own advertising slogan: “I never knew there was so much in it.” It was an unusually audacious move by a generally sober publication.

As if the organisational problems of producing 25 regional editions were not enough, the early years of Gearing’s leadership were plagued by industrial unrest, chiefly involving the Sogat print union, which disrupted production at several stages. At its height, as Robert Maxwell, in a fit of rage, demolished the printing presses which rolled out the magazine, Radio Times staff flew to a “secret” location to ensure the next issue was printed.

On September 1, 1984, though, those pressures eased as a revamped Radio Times was published in the glorious clarity of the web-offset process. Tony Currie, author of the book, The Radio Times Story, said that not only had Gearing restored a balanced magazine with a broad appeal to all members of the family, but he had demonstrated impressive leadership in bringing it through the most testing times. And with each incumbent of his post besieged by the demands of programme-makers, Gearing regarded one of his biggest achievements as narrowing the gap between the Radio Times and the BBC.

In 1988, with the magazine by then part of BBC Enterprises, Gearing took early retirement. Until then Radio Times had listed only BBC programmes, while TV Times published only commercial television schedules. With a demand for increased profitability for the Radio Times, and with the knowledge that the listings monopoly would end soon, bringing a host of multichannel guides on to the market, it was felt a new editor, with a more aggressive, populist approach, was needed.

Shortly after leaving Radio Times, Gearing was found to have Parkinson’s disease, but he retained his positive attitude and lifelong passion for sport. For years, he worked on Saturdays for the Grandstand programme and co-edited a book, Seventy Years of BBC Sport. He continued working as a freelance editorial consultant and spent three years with Readers’ Digest in Hong Kong.

In retirement he still managed to play golf at Copthorne golf club near Gatwick airport, enthused about football and watched Kent play cricket. Three years ago a parachuting venture ended disastrously when he fell ill and had to be flown to hospital by helicopter, but even then his cheerfulness and kindness remained intact.

Gearing is survived by his two former wives and three sons.

Brian Gearing, former editor of the Radio Times, was born on June 6, 1935. He died on October 26, 2008, aged 73