Name Ben Cooper | Role Media executive | |
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Benjamin Michael Cooper (born 8 December 1969) is a British journalist, radio producer and former media executive, who was appointed as Controller of Radio 1 and 1Xtra on 28 October 2011, replacing Andy Parfitt who had stepped down from the position in July of that year.
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Career
Cooper started his career at BBC Hereford & Worcester. He also worked as a journalist at Three Counties Radio before becoming a producer at Radio 1. After a brief sting at Capital Radio as an executive producer, Cooper returned to Radio 1 where he became Head of Mainstream, then later Head of Programmes between 2006 and 2009, where he brought Vernon Kay to the network. He was appointed the station's Deputy Controller in 2009 and oversaw a major restructuring of programming, which included introducing Fearne Cotton and Greg James as weekday presenters. He became Acting Controller in July 2011 following Andy Parfitt's decision to step down as Controller, and was appointed as Controller with immediate effect on 28 October 2011.
Cooper was instrumental in the removal of Chris Moyles from the station and the installation of Nick Grimshaw in the breakfast slot as part of the Radio 1s move towards a younger listenership and ultimate shedding of over a million listeners
Ding Dong the Witch is Dead
In April, 2013, Cooper banned the single Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead from being played in full on Radio 1, once it had achieved number 2 status in the British pop charts, following the death of former PM, Margaret Thatcher.