John Culbert

I have considerable experience producing and presenting a wide range of television programmes for the BBC and ITV majors. Highlights include the UK's longest running series about the Internet "cyber.cafe" and a 1980's series for children "Rowan's Report".

Highly experienced Television Producer and presenter of the UK's longest running series about the Internet. Former presenter of ITV children's series "Rowan's Report". Has run live studios, Outside Broadcasts and produced material from around the world including war zones.

My experience in factual TV production spans all genres: lifestyle, news, children’s, celebrity, popular science, talkshows, gameshows, documentary. Working in front of, and behind, the camera; I have learned the importance of being a team player and a motivational team builder. Rigorous financial management through detailed spreadsheets has been at the heart of every programme I’ve run since 1987. Much of my work has been on programmes for shoulder peak produced on tight budgets.

CAREER IN DETAIL:

2000-2002

GEMs Development Ltd: This was my own company set up to commercialise some of the ideas in my book (see below). It attracted multinational clients and investors but failed when the software – built by a third party - collapsed.

1999

Freelance author: Since 1994 I had been working with the think tank Demos on the potential of new developments in television and computing technologies. My ideas were subsequently published in a Demos book and endorsed by Charles Handy, the UK’s leading management thinker who helped me into a deal with Macmillan who commissioned a second book “Net Benefit” which they published in Europe, the US and then China. I did extensive promotional media appearances across the US and UK and spent time working with companies like Hewlett Packard, IBM, Informix and Xerox PARC in Silicon Valley.

1996 - 1999

UN&M: Meridian Television: Series Producer, lead presenter and creator of  cyber.café. We completed 86 editions of this programme - which tracked human stories behind Britain’s take up of the Internet – 51 of those were network transmissions. I created the format and persuaded ITV to take the Net seriously in 1995.

1995 - 1996

UN&M: Anglia Television: Series Producer, Entertainment Department responsible for launching a new series of two game show formats including the UK version of THREE’S A CROWD - the gameshow that asks” who knows you best your current partner or your ex?” When Anglia’s stake in Channel Five became clear I was appointed Head of Channel Five Development with three months to deliver bids for factual/LE and talk formats for the new channel.

Planet 24: Relief producer. The Big Breakfast.

1993-1995:

Zenith Productions: Series Producer of PERSONAL CALL , a live, hour long programme across North England that "puts people in touch" to make personal contacts live on air.

1992 - 1993:

Zenith Productions: Series Editor of HEAD TO HEAD, a live, highly confrontational, hour long debate show for the North of England.

Noel Gay Television: Producer, Cameraman and Presenter of a low budget (obviously!) pilot for the ITV Centre, funded by Anglia, called THE PRYING EYE. 

1990 - 1992:

Thames Television: Series Producer of DAVID FROST SPECIALS made by Thames for BSB and world-wide sale. The format was a kind of "Surprise Surprise" across the globe; we reunited families split by the iron curtain and  children and parents forcibly separated in the 50's by Britain's "Empire Policy". TV stations around the world were co-producers.

Series Producer:  CROSSTALK, a studio debate series for 12 -16 year olds with presenters aged 15 and a "No Adults Allowed" policy. Also produced the Thames bid for the ITV afternoon show until the company lost their franchise.

1989:

London Weekend Television: Series Editor for summer run of FRIDAY NOW, a regional, hour long, review of the week built around personality reporters.

Granada Television: THIS MORNING moved Richard and Judy to California for the week of half term. I led the team that spent three months in Los Angeles compiling fashion, celebrity and lifestyle pieces and then produced the five, 90 minute, as-live OB's.

1987 - 1989:

Central Television: Producer on tabloid, controversial, election specials for the region, then Series Producer of THE JIMMY GREAVES SHOW. Later: Senior Producer of CENTRAL WEEKEND, a live and intentionally volatile, 90 minute, topical studio debate programme in which the entire audience takes part. With the dawn of glasnost I headed a team that took the programme's formula to 115 million Soviet viewers in a live TX from Kiev.

1984 - 1987:

BBC Television: Producer/Director working across a range of network output in Manchester, initially on fast paced youth programmes like JONATHAN KING'S NO LIMITS and OXFORD ROAD SHOW then on mainstream features programmes including FAX (twice weekly BBC1 show with comedians answering viewer's questions) , FRIDAY PEOPLE, a show business journalism series, and documentary strand BRASS TACKS.

I sold Michael Grade on a format of my own ALL OF LIFE IS HERE the pilot of which I produced with Anne Diamond presenting. (It wasn’t commissioned.) When the BBC launched its Daytime schedule I acted as Deputy Editor of the five day a week PAMELA ARMSTRONG programme; a mix of  celebrity interviews, live music and human stories.

1983 - 1984:

TV-am: I joined the fledgling breakfast station a month before transmissions started. My role: producer /presenter of the twice daily quiz slot then Producer of the Day on the main show.

1980 - 1983:

Yorkshire Television: Initially a runner in the children’s dept. At the age of 21 I was given the chance to present a weekly 10 minute slot on the network with ROWAN'S REPORT. It ran over the next two years, profiling youngsters with a wealthy or glamorous lifestyle.

1979:

Tyne Tees Television: Writer/Presenter of segments for a regional youth programme. I was still at school, in Somerset, at the time.

Interests:

Travel, swimming, yachting, books, movies, current affairs.  For several years I have been involved in an ad hoc United Nations  programme to send observers to troublespots as monitors. I have spent time in The Gaza Strip (where I was teargassed), The West Bank (where rocks were thrown at me), Ceaucesco’s Romania (arrested by the security services), Soweto, Cuba, Uganda (Hepatitis A) Lesotho and Dubrovnik (during the height of the war).