Jeff Baker

We regret to report the recent passing of Jeff Baker.

Jeff was an early member of the IBS/IPS and was Chairman 1985-87. He was a member of the UK branch of the AES and also chairman of that organisation for a time.

His BBC career started in TV OBs where he rose through the sound section to become a sound supervisor and eventually Head of Sound for TV OBs. He was successful in being chosen for a junior manager’s training course and spent time in videotape department at TVC. Later following the retirement of Gordon Mackie, Jeff became Head of Television Sound at TVC. In this role he held the responsibility for the whole of BBC TV network sound across the country.

Jeff’s heart was really still in TV OBs and so when the Head of Operations post became vacant at Kendal Avenue he applied but wasn’t successful. However, a minor managerial role became vacant within TV OBs and Jeff was then back at Kendal Avenue. Jeff was not happy in this limited role and when a senior position at the Open University became vacant he applied and became Head of Production Resources at the Open university at Milton Keynes. Subsequently the top manager’s role at TV OBs became vacant and Jeff returned to BBC TV OBs as General Manager, the position he retained until his early retirement when the OB unit was sold to SIS Ltd.

Jeff and his wife Jackie were keen sailors and in retirement Jeff became heavily involved in the Mylor Yacht Club in Cornwall latterly becoming Commodore for two years.
Malcolm Johnson