William Denholm Barnetson
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable
| name = The Lord Barnetson
| birth_name = William Denholm Barnetson
| birth_date = 21 March 1917
| birth_place = Westminster, London
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1981|03|12|1917|03|21|df=y}}
| alma_mater = Royal High School, Edinburgh
Edinburgh University
| occupation = newspaper proprietor
television executive
| spouse = Joan Fairley Davidson
| children = 4
}}
William Denholm Barnetson, Baron Barnetson (born 21 March 1917, Edinburgh – 12 March 1981, Westminster, London) was a newspaper proprietor and television executive.[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30793 Edward Pickering: Barnetson, William Denholm, Baron Barnetson (1917–1981) Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 20 June 2012]
Early life and education
He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh, and Edinburgh University. Whilst at university aged 19 he set himself up as a freelance reporter on the Spanish Civil War. Returning to university in 1940 he took his MA.
War service
During World War II he served as a Major in the Anti-Aircraft Command, a part of the army. After the war he was set the task of reorganising German newspaper and publishing industries in the British occupation zone of Germany. He was responsible for the launch of Die Welt choosing Axel Springer as its publisher.
Career
Returning to Edinburgh from 1948 to 1961 he worked for the Edinburgh Evening News eventually becoming General Manager.
In 1962 he was recruited by Harley Drayton as director of United Newspapers becoming chairman in 1966. Within three years he had doubled the size of United acquiring of Yorkshire Post Newspapers and Punch magazine.
He had directorships of several other organisations and was chairman of Reuters from 1968 to 1979 during which time its turnover rose from £6m to £73m. From 1979 he was chairman of Thames Television.Matthew H.C.G., editor, Dictionary of National Biography on CD-ROM (Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1995)
Personal life
He was the son of William Barnetson and Isabella "Ella" Grigor Moir. In July 1940 he married Joan Fairley Davidson, daughter of William Fairley Davidson and Agustina Bjarnarson. They had a son and three daughters.
Barnetson was knighted in 1972{{London Gazette |issue=45595 |date=10 February 1972 |page=1686}} and created a life peer on 14 July 1975 as Baron Barnetson, of Crowborough in the County of East Sussex.{{London Gazette |issue=46634 |date=17 July 1975 |page=9083}}
References
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Category:People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh
Category:Businesspeople from Edinburgh
Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Category:20th-century Scottish newspaper publishers (people)
Category:Scottish television executives