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| Sir Harold Evans: Crusading editor who exposed Thalidomide impact dies aged 92 | Sir Harold Evans: Crusading editor who exposed Thalidomide impact dies aged 92 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Former Sunday Times editor Sir Harold Evans has died at the age of 92. | Former Sunday Times editor Sir Harold Evans has died at the age of 92. |
| The British-American journalist, who led an investigation into the drug Thalidomide, died of heart failure in New York, his wife Tina Brown said. | The British-American journalist, who led an investigation into the drug Thalidomide, died of heart failure in New York, his wife Tina Brown said. |
| His 70-year career also saw him work as a magazine founder, book publisher, author and - at the time of his death - Reuters' editor-at-large. | His 70-year career also saw him work as a magazine founder, book publisher, author and - at the time of his death - Reuters' editor-at-large. |
| Sir Harold was editor of the Sunday Times for 14 years and oversaw many campaigns in that time. | Sir Harold was editor of the Sunday Times for 14 years and oversaw many campaigns in that time. |
| He then went on to become the founding editor of Conde Nast Traveller magazine and later president of the publishing giant, Random House. | He then went on to become the founding editor of Conde Nast Traveller magazine and later president of the publishing giant, Random House. |
| One of Britain and America's best-known journalists, Sir Harold also wrote several books about the press and in 2003 was given a knighthood for his services to journalism. | One of Britain and America's best-known journalists, Sir Harold also wrote several books about the press and in 2003 was given a knighthood for his services to journalism. |
| A year earlier, a poll by the Press Gazette and the British Journalism Review named him the greatest newspaper editor of all time. | A year earlier, a poll by the Press Gazette and the British Journalism Review named him the greatest newspaper editor of all time. |
| Sir Harold forged his reputation as editor of the Northern Echo in the 1960s, where his campaigns resulted in a national screening programme for cervical cancer and a posthumous pardon for Timothy Evans, wrongly hanged for murder in 1950. | Sir Harold forged his reputation as editor of the Northern Echo in the 1960s, where his campaigns resulted in a national screening programme for cervical cancer and a posthumous pardon for Timothy Evans, wrongly hanged for murder in 1950. |
| During his tenure as editor of the Sunday Times, his notable campaigns included fighting the Distillers Company for greater compensation for the victims of Thalidomide. | During his tenure as editor of the Sunday Times, his notable campaigns included fighting the Distillers Company for greater compensation for the victims of Thalidomide. |
| But he said campaigns should be selective, and he deplored what he saw as the invasion of privacy by the British tabloid press. | But he said campaigns should be selective, and he deplored what he saw as the invasion of privacy by the British tabloid press. |
| Thalidomide, which first appeared in the UK in 1958, was prescribed to expectant mothers to control the symptoms of morning sickness. | Thalidomide, which first appeared in the UK in 1958, was prescribed to expectant mothers to control the symptoms of morning sickness. |
| However, hundreds of these mothers in Britain, and many thousands across the world, gave birth to children with missing limbs, deformed hearts, blindness and other problems. | However, hundreds of these mothers in Britain, and many thousands across the world, gave birth to children with missing limbs, deformed hearts, blindness and other problems. |
| Sir Harold's campaign, launched in 1972, eventually forced the UK manufacturer, Distillers Company - at the time the Sunday Times's biggest advertiser - to increase the compensation received by victims. | Sir Harold's campaign, launched in 1972, eventually forced the UK manufacturer, Distillers Company - at the time the Sunday Times's biggest advertiser - to increase the compensation received by victims. |
| He also fought a legal injunction to stop the paper revealing the drug's developers had not gone through the proper testing procedures. | He also fought a legal injunction to stop the paper revealing the drug's developers had not gone through the proper testing procedures. |
| Speaking about his campaigning in a 2010 interview with the Independent, Sir Harold said: "I tried to do - all I hoped to do - was to shed a little light. And if that light grew weeds, we'd have to try and pull them up." | Speaking about his campaigning in a 2010 interview with the Independent, Sir Harold said: "I tried to do - all I hoped to do - was to shed a little light. And if that light grew weeds, we'd have to try and pull them up." |
| What is Thalidomide? | What is Thalidomide? |
| Sir Harold later edited the Times but left in 1981 following a public falling-out with the paper's owner, Rupert Murdoch, over editorial independence. | Sir Harold later edited the Times but left in 1981 following a public falling-out with the paper's owner, Rupert Murdoch, over editorial independence. |
| Writing about his relationship with Murdoch, he described his decision not to "campaign against" Murdoch's takeover of the papers as "the worst in my professional career". | Writing about his relationship with Murdoch, he described his decision not to "campaign against" Murdoch's takeover of the papers as "the worst in my professional career". |
| He added: "My principal difficulty with Murdoch was my refusal to turn the paper into an organ of Thatcherism. That is what the Times became." | He added: "My principal difficulty with Murdoch was my refusal to turn the paper into an organ of Thatcherism. That is what the Times became." |
| Harry Evans personified not only the noblest possibilities of journalism, but of social mobility in the 20th Century too. | Harry Evans personified not only the noblest possibilities of journalism, but of social mobility in the 20th Century too. |
| Born into what he called "the respectable working-class", his route to national and international acclaim via the streets of Manchester and Darlington - the latter as editor of The Northern Echo - is sadly a route few take today. | Born into what he called "the respectable working-class", his route to national and international acclaim via the streets of Manchester and Darlington - the latter as editor of The Northern Echo - is sadly a route few take today. |
| He embodied the most romantic ideal of an editor: a humble hack taking on mighty forces through the dogged pursuit of truth. | He embodied the most romantic ideal of an editor: a humble hack taking on mighty forces through the dogged pursuit of truth. |
| Though he later fell out with Rupert Murdoch, and never forgave him, in his 14 years at the helm of the Sunday Times he redefined journalism itself. | Though he later fell out with Rupert Murdoch, and never forgave him, in his 14 years at the helm of the Sunday Times he redefined journalism itself. |
| He was a master craftsman, in a trade where practical wisdom was precious and vital; and he combined a flair for layout, projection and design with a remarkable nose for a story, particularly those with human suffering at their heart. | He was a master craftsman, in a trade where practical wisdom was precious and vital; and he combined a flair for layout, projection and design with a remarkable nose for a story, particularly those with human suffering at their heart. |
| But above all he was brave. During his reign, it seemed no super-rich bully or powerful government could intimidate him. | But above all he was brave. During his reign, it seemed no super-rich bully or powerful government could intimidate him. |
| In our era of information overload, diminished trust in journalism, and fewer people willing to pay for news, the nostalgia for what he represented is impossible to resist. | In our era of information overload, diminished trust in journalism, and fewer people willing to pay for news, the nostalgia for what he represented is impossible to resist. |
| As he put it himself in the title of his wonderful memoir from 2009, he reached the top in Vanished Times. | As he put it himself in the title of his wonderful memoir from 2009, he reached the top in Vanished Times. |
| He had the resources, and the time, to hold power to account - and he did uniquely well. Mixed with his charm and sheer decency, this put journalism itself in a debt to him that will never be fully serviced. | He had the resources, and the time, to hold power to account - and he did uniquely well. Mixed with his charm and sheer decency, this put journalism itself in a debt to him that will never be fully serviced. |
| Journalists have paid tribute to his campaigning work on the Thalidomide scandal and other injustices. Alan Rusbridger, former editor of the Guardian, said he was a "master craftsman of journalism" who "was the editor we all wanted to be". | Journalists have paid tribute to his campaigning work on the Thalidomide scandal and other injustices. Alan Rusbridger, former editor of the Guardian, said he was a "master craftsman of journalism" who "was the editor we all wanted to be". |
| Author Robert Harris told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Sir Harold was an outsider coming in to the Sunday Times, the "son of a railway man who wanted to take on the establishment". | Author Robert Harris told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Sir Harold was an outsider coming in to the Sunday Times, the "son of a railway man who wanted to take on the establishment". |
| "He believed in ordinary people and that newspapers could stand up for them. He saw newspapers as instruments of social justice on their behalf," Mr Harris said. | "He believed in ordinary people and that newspapers could stand up for them. He saw newspapers as instruments of social justice on their behalf," Mr Harris said. |
| "He really was the great British post-war journalist, no question." | "He really was the great British post-war journalist, no question." |
| The BBC's John Simpson called Sir Harold a "magnificent editor, a wise counsellor and a good and inspiring friend". | The BBC's John Simpson called Sir Harold a "magnificent editor, a wise counsellor and a good and inspiring friend". |
| 'Giant among journalists' | |
| Former Financial Times editor Lionel Barber described him as "a brilliant, generous newspaperman and mentor, the finest editor of his generation". | Former Financial Times editor Lionel Barber described him as "a brilliant, generous newspaperman and mentor, the finest editor of his generation". |
| Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors, said: "Sir Harold Evans was a giant among journalists who strove to put the ordinary man and woman at the heart of his reporting." | |
| And Glen Harrison, a thalidomide survivor and deputy chairman of the campaign group Thalidomide UK, described Sir Harold as "an outstanding human being for our cause". | |
| After leaving the Times, Sir Harold and his second wife, Tina Brown, moved to New York. | After leaving the Times, Sir Harold and his second wife, Tina Brown, moved to New York. |
| There she edited Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, while he became founding editor of Conde Nast magazine and later president of Random House. | There she edited Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, while he became founding editor of Conde Nast magazine and later president of Random House. |
| In 2011, at the age of 82, Sir Harold was appointed editor-at-large at Reuters, the organisation's editor-in-chief describing him as "one of the greatest minds in journalism". | In 2011, at the age of 82, Sir Harold was appointed editor-at-large at Reuters, the organisation's editor-in-chief describing him as "one of the greatest minds in journalism". |
| Sir Harold was born on 28 June 1928 in Eccles, Lancashire, now in Greater Manchester, the son of Welsh parents. | Sir Harold was born on 28 June 1928 in Eccles, Lancashire, now in Greater Manchester, the son of Welsh parents. |