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Colin Philpott: Chair
Colin Philpott is Director of the National Media Museum – formerly the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television - in Bradford – a post he took up in April 2004. The award-winning museum – which regularly attracts around 700,000 visitors a year - contains world famous collections including the Royal Photographic Society collection; three cinemas (including Britain’s first IMAX 3D Screen) and galleries telling the stories of television, photography and film. The museum re-launched as the National Media Museum in December 2006 with ambitious plans to broaden its remit to cover other media subjects.
In addition, Colin is a member of the council of the Advertising Standards Authority: the body which deals with complaints about advertising in newspapers, broadcasting and other media. As a council member, Colin is involved each week in viewing adverts and deciding how to respond to complaints.
Until 2004 Colin worked for the BBC for 24 years as a reporter, producer, documentary maker and editorial manager. His last job in the BBC was as Head of BBC Yorkshire where he led a number of strategic developments including the setting up of a new BBC regional operation in Hull. During his BBC career Colin was involved in the coverage of a number of major news stories including the Manchester and Warrington IRA bombings, the Moors Murder Search on Saddleworth Moor and he made a number of documentaries and feature programmes on subjects as diverse as the safety of the Channel Tunnel, sexism in the police force and walking in the Lake District. Colin won a number of Sony Radio and Royal Television Society Awards.
Colin is Chair of Creative Partnerships, Bradford – a project led by the Arts Council to bring the creative sector and schools closer together. He is also a trustee of the Krazna-Kraus Foundation (which encourages and supports the publication of books about film and TV); and he is a Director of Bradford Film Limited and a Director of Arts and Business Yorkshire.
Colin was educated at St.Olave’s – then a state grammar school – in London and at Trinity College, Cambridge where he read law and was President of the college students’ union.
Colin is a regular theatre and film-goer; a keen skier, windsurfer and hill-walker (he has completed the Three Peaks Challenge twice) and sports enthusiast ; he is also an avid student of twentieth century history; he enjoys taking photographs and is re-learning the piano (slowly!). He lives in Knaresborough in North Yorkshire and is married with three children.
