Introducing Edward J. Roth, Deputy Managing Director

Edward J. Roth brings to ATV experience of working in television in four different countries.

Since he was demobilised as a Sergeant from the United States Marines there have been very few days when this tall — 6ft. 4ins. — American from Boston, Massachusetts, has not turned his hand to some job in television or radio.

On the way up from writing radio scripts to becoming No. 1 executive of a country’s TV and radio — he was Director General of Eire’s TV and radio until joining ATV — he has also gained academic qualifications in the communicative arts, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University and becoming a Master of Arts at Columbia. He also gained an Encyclopaedia Britannica scholarship to Penn. State University.

In TV he has been producer, director, floor manager, programme controller, camera-man, sound technician, projectionist and script writer before becoming an executive.

EARLY DAYS

But he started work as a newspaper delivery boy while still at High School. It wasn’t that he liked the job — he just needed the money to continue his education. When the war started he worked as a plumber’s mate in the dockyards, helping refit the destroyers which the United States sent to Britain in the early days of Lease-Lend.

His ambition was to get into the Air Corps but his eyesight was faulty. He saw double owing to a muscle defect and to correct it he wore thick lensed glasses. The glasses did the trick, strengthened the muscles of his eye and eventually he was accepted in the Air Corps and trained for his pilot’s licence.

ACTIVE SERVICE

Later he joined the Marines and went into action in the Solomon Islands. His squadron received commendation after taking part in twenty-one bombing missions in a month.

October 31, 1945 (“I remember the date, even the exact time”) saw the buck sergeant back into civilian clothes again.

He went to Boston University in the day time and Harvard at night. And in what spare time he had, he worked as a mail sorter. After two years studying he received his Bachelor of Science degree. During this time he got his first working knowledge of radio, writing scripts on juvenile delinquency for a series made in co-operation with the FBI and also working on a newsboys’ programme. He continued his studies and in 1950 obtained his Master of Arts degree at Columbia University. Then came a brief stint working at Paramount News in New York and a period working as associated producer on two half-hour motion pictures.

INTO TV

In January 1951 Mr Roth joined the National Broadcasting Corporation of America. His first paycheque he used to meet the maternity hospital bill when his wife Kathleen presented him with their first child, Maureen, a month later.

There followed a succession of jobs for NBC either as a stage manager or associate director. He also produced news and public affairs programmes, and directed baseball OBs.

In 1955 Mr Roth went on behalf of NBC to Notre Dame University in Indiana to start a TV station [WNDU-TV – Ed] that was to become one of the best-known and most highly respected in the United States. He also taught at the university, assisting in the development of their communication arts (TV, radio and films) programme.

Two years in Chicago as programme manager followed on Station WGN (World’s Greatest Newspaper) which was on the air for 20 hours a day, the biggest independent TV station in America with no network.

It was around this time that Mr Roth became interested in international TV and in 1959 he was sent by NBC to help establish a station for Lima in Peru, where he stayed for one year. His work completed, he moved to Mexico City to do the same there, setting up the first two independent stations in the country, one in Guadalajara, the other in Monterrey.

MOVE TO EIRE

When Southern Ireland decided to have television they called in Mr Roth from across the Atlantic. He came with his wife and four children. Only the need to find a house in or around London keeps them all from crossing the Irish Sea, but Mr Roth hopes to solve this problem soon and bring his family; Maureen, now 12, Edward J. III, 10, Bridget, 5 and Lourdes, 2, and his wife Kathleen to England.

Hobbies: “I’ve never really had the time to get into any hobby. I played hockey and football at school.

Reading: At present anything from Variety and TV Times to “Anatomy of Britain”.

Religion: Roman Catholic. Politics: Democrat. He was director of the party’s public relations in Massachusetts and ran a radio campaign for Truman there in 1948.

“I am extremely pleased about joining ATV to work with Mr Grade. Both ATV and Mr Grade have international reputations, so you may well imagine how excited I was when Mr Grade asked me to join him and work for a company of which I had heard such a great deal on both sides of the Atlantic”.