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Paul Campbell

Paul Andrew Campbell (born 1959) is a British entrepreneur and musician. He is the founder of Amazing, the digital media brand, and CEO of Amazing Media, operator of amazingtunes.com and Amazing Radio.

Education

Campbell was born in North East England and educated at RGS Newcastle and New College, Oxford University, where he read English Literature.

Career

Early Career

Campbell started his media career working in BBC Local Radio while still a student, going on to join the BBC full-time after graduation on its General Trainee management training course in 1980. He became a Producer of File on 4, the BBC Radio 4 current affairs programme, in 1982. After producing BBC Television programmes such as Russell Harty and Brass Tacks, he left the BBC to freelance as a TV Producer with Diverse Production and then Zenith Productions. In this period he directed TV commercials and produced music programmes, documentaries and youth-oriented programmes including Rough Guides.

In 1989 Campbell founded Bell Television, a London-based television production company, which made programmes for Sky Television and Channel 4. Bell diversified into radio, commercials, corporate films and new media, building its first website for The Barbican arts centre in 1992 and producing a theatrical drama 'Cracker Interactive' for Granada Studios Tour, based on the TV series Cracker which featured a combination of digital video, live action, interactive audience control and the early use of internet protocol to control rich media.

In 2002 Campbell re-located to north-east England and co-founded Liberty Bell Productions (the TV company which produces Grumpy Old Men) with Stuart Prebble and The Tube creator Andrea Wonfor.

2003 Onwards - Amazing

Now based in Newcastle upon Tyne Campbell founded Amazing in 2003. Initially an educational software company known as The Amazing Group, Campbell's first idea for the company was the website Amazing Grades; an online learning resource for UK Students aged between 14-19 years old developed in partnership with Channel 4. Campbell, now a serial entrepreneur, led the company to other notable achievements not least the release of Amazing Tunes in 2006. In 2009 Campbell's company; The Amazing Media Group Ltd launched Amazing Radio, a national British DAB digital radio station broadcasting 100% new music drawn from Amazing Tunes. In 2010, European music industry journal Music Week, started publishing The Amazing Chart weekly on their website.

Musical Experience

Campbell has performed as a freelance professional musician, starting age 11, playing timpani, percussion and drums. By 21 Campbell had played in The Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, The Marquee Club and BBC Maida Vale Studios. In 2002 he re-commenced timpani study with Martin Gibson, Principal Timpanist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Marney O'Sullivan, timpanist with Opera North. He now freelances with Northern Sinfonia and other professional orchestras. He also plays the piano.

Awards and Honours

Campbell has an MA from Oxford University, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and in 2011 was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Business Administration by Sunderland University. He won the Broadcasting Press Guild Award for 'outstanding radio programme' in 1984 for File on 4 and has other creative awards in a variety of electronic media, including three New York Film Festival Awards and a Communication Achievement Award for 'Excellence in the Use of Video' in 1997 for Cracker Interactive.

Personal Life & Other Activites

Campbell is married with three children and lives in Northumberland. He is a member of the British Association of Snowsports Instructors, having taught skiing in the European Alps. He is a Governor of The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle and a founder member and Director of The Entrepreneurs' Forum, a networking association for British entrepreneurs.

External links

• The Difference Engine