Editing David Attenborough (section)

===BBC administration===
Attenborough became Controller of BBC Two in March 1965, succeeding [[Michael Peacock (television executive)|Michael Peacock]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://login.thetimes.com/?gotoUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.com%2Ftto%2Farchive%2Farticle%2F1965-03-05%2F6%2F1.html |title=Mr. David Attenborough is New B.B.C.-2 Head |work=[[The Times]] |date=5 March 1965 |access-date=20 June 2021 |page=6 |archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624205850/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/archive/article/1965-03-05/6/1.html |url-status=live}}{{subscription required}}</ref> He had a clause inserted in his contract that would allow him to continue making programmes on an occasional basis. Later the same year he filmed elephants in [[Tanzania]] and in 1969 made a three-part series on the cultural history of the Indonesian island of [[Bali]]. For the 1971 film ''[[A Blank on the Map]]'', he joined the first Western expedition to a remote highland valley in [[New Guinea]] to seek out a [[uncontacted peoples|lost tribe]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03smb54 |title=BBC Two – Attenborough's Passion Projects, A Blank on the Map, First contact with the Biami tribe in 1971 |date=4 May 2016 |publisher=BBC |access-date=22 August 2021 |archive-date=22 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822090544/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03smb54 |url-status=live}}</ref>

BBC Two was launched in 1964, but had struggled to capture the public's imagination. When Attenborough arrived as controller, he quickly abolished the channel's quirky kangaroo mascot and shook up the schedule. With a mission to make BBC Two's output diverse and different from that offered by other networks, he began to establish a portfolio of programmes that defined the channel's identity for decades to come. Under his tenure, music, the arts, entertainment, archaeology, experimental comedy, travel, drama, sport, business, science and natural history all found a place in the weekly schedules. Often, an eclectic mix was offered within a single evening's viewing. Programmes he commissioned included ''[[Man Alive (UK TV series)|Man Alive]]'', ''[[Call My Bluff]]'', ''[[Chronicle (UK TV series)|Chronicle]]'', ''[[The Old Grey Whistle Test]]'', ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' and ''[[The Money Programme]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=David Attenborough: a fine specimen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/mar/03/davidattenboroughafinespec |access-date=15 September 2019 |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708225157/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/mar/03/davidattenboroughafinespec |archive-date=8 July 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> With the advent of [[colour television]], Attenborough brought [[snooker]] to the BBC to show the benefits of the format, as the sport uses coloured balls.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://wst.tv/wpbsa/history-of-snooker/ |title=History of Snooker |website=World Snooker |access-date=22 August 2021 |archive-date=15 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815075857/https://wst.tv/wpbsa/history-of-snooker/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> The show – ''[[Pot Black]]'' – was later credited with the boom of the sport into the 1980s.<ref>{{cite book |title=Sports around the World: History, Culture, and Practice |page=191 |author=John Nauright |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2012 |isbn=978-1598843019}}</ref>

One of his most significant decisions was to order a 13-part series on the [[Western art history|history of Western art]], to show off the quality of the new [[UHF#United Kingdom|UHF]] colour television service that BBC Two offered. Broadcast to universal acclaim in 1969, ''[[Civilisation (TV series)|Civilisation]]'' set the blueprint for landmark [[authored documentary|authored documentaries]], which were informally known as "sledgehammer" projects.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/oct/22/david-attenborough-climate-change-bbc |title=The real David Attenborough |date=22 October 2019 |website=The Guardian |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=23 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823195442/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/oct/22/david-attenborough-climate-change-bbc |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Hearn |first=Marcus |title=Civilisation |year=2005 |location=London |publisher=BBC |oclc=778343652 |page=16}}</ref> Others followed, including [[Jacob Bronowski]]'s ''[[The Ascent of Man]]'' (also commissioned by Attenborough) and [[Alistair Cooke]]'s ''[[America: A Personal History of the United States|America]]''. Attenborough thought that the story of evolution would be a natural subject for such a series. He shared his idea with [[Christopher Parsons]], a producer at the Natural History Unit, who came up with a title ''[[Life on Earth (TV series)|Life on Earth]]'' and returned to Bristol to start planning the series. Attenborough harboured a strong desire to present the series himself, but this would not be possible so long as he remained in a management post.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chris Parsons |work=The Telegraph |date=27 November 2002 |access-date=22 August 2021 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1414374/Chris-Parsons.html |archive-date=22 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822160731/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1414374/Chris-Parsons.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

While in charge of BBC Two, Attenborough turned down [[Terry Wogan]]'s job application to be a presenter on the channel, stating that there were not any suitable vacancies. The channel already had an Irish announcer, with Attenborough reflecting in 2016: "To have had two Irishmen presenting on BBC Two would have looked ridiculous. This is no comment whatsoever on Terry Wogan's talents."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/david-attenborough-rebuffed-terry-wogans-bbc-presenter-job-application-because-they-had-an-irish-announcer-34436348.html |title=David Attenborough 'rebuffed' Terry Wogan's BBC presenter job application because they had an Irish announcer |first=Kerri-Ann |last=Roper |work=Irish Independent |date=9 February 2016 |access-date=9 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210093803/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/david-attenborough-rebuffed-terry-wogans-bbc-presenter-job-application-because-they-had-an-irish-announcer-34436348.html |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Attenborough has also acknowledged that he sanctioned the [[Lost television broadcast#Wiping|wiping]] of television output during this period to cut costs, including [[On the Margin|a series]] by [[Alan Bennett]], which he later regretted.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10784285/David-Attenborough-my-regrets-over-wiping-Alan-Bennett-dross.html |title=David Attenborough: my regrets over wiping Alan Bennett 'dross' |work=The Telegraph |date=24 April 2014 |access-date=8 April 2018 |last1=Furness |first1=Hannah |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409090437/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10784285/David-Attenborough-my-regrets-over-wiping-Alan-Bennett-dross.html |archive-date=9 April 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1969, Attenborough was promoted to director of programmes, making him responsible for the output of both BBC channels.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/nine-astonishing-ways-david-attenborough-shaped-your-world/z4k2kmn|title=Nine astonishing ways David Attenborough shaped your world|website=BBC Teach|access-date=31 October 2021|archive-date=31 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031201515/https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/nine-astonishing-ways-david-attenborough-shaped-your-world/z4k2kmn|url-status=live}}</ref> His tasks, which included agreeing budgets, attending board meetings and firing staff, were now far removed from the business of filming programmes. When Attenborough's name was being suggested as a candidate for the position of [[Director-General of the BBC]] in 1972, he phoned his brother Richard to confess that he had no appetite for the job. Early the following year, he left his post to return to full-time programme-making, leaving him free to write and present the planned natural history epic.<ref name="BAFTA Guru"/>

After his resignation, Attenborough became a freelance broadcaster and started work on his next project, a trip to Indonesia with a crew from the Natural History Unit. It resulted in the 1973 series ''Eastwards with Attenborough'', which was similar in tone to the earlier ''Zoo Quest''; the main difference was the introduction of colour. Attenborough stated that he wanted to work in Asia, because previous nature documentaries had mostly focused on Africa.<ref>{{cite book |first=Jean-Baptiste |last=Gouyon |title=BBC Wildlife Documentaries in the Age of Attenborough |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2019 |isbn=978-3-030-19981-4 |pages=201–212}}</ref> That year, Attenborough was invited to deliver the [[Royal Institution Christmas Lectures|Royal Institution Christmas Lecture]] on ''The Language of Animals''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The languages of animals |url=https://www.rigb.org/christmas-lectures/watch/1973/the-languages-of-animals |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2021 |website=The Royal Institution |date=December 1973 |archive-date=21 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821200021/https://www.rigb.org/christmas-lectures/watch/1973/the-languages-of-animals}}</ref> After his work on ''Eastwards with Attenborough'', he began to work on the scripts for ''Life on Earth''.<ref name="ftvdb.bfi.org.uk">{{cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/67588?view=credit |title=BFI Fil and TV Database Attenborough |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117024717/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/67588?view=credit |archive-date=17 January 2009}}</ref>

Due to the scale of his ambition, the BBC decided to partner with an American network to secure the necessary funding. While the negotiations were proceeding, he worked on a number of other television projects. He presented a series on [[tribal art]] (''[[The Tribal Eye]]'', 1975) and another on the voyages of discovery (''[[David Attenborough filmography#1970s|The Explorers]]'', 1975).<ref name="ftvdb.bfi.org.uk"/> He presented a BBC children's series about [[cryptozoology]] entitled ''Fabulous Animals'' (1975), which featured mythical creatures such as [[mermaid]]s and [[unicorn]]s.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gately |first=Martin |url=http://www.forteantimes.com/features/articles/101/attenboroughs_fabulous_animals.html |title=Fortean Times episode guide to ''Fabulous Animals'' |publisher=Forteantimes.com |date=1 April 2006 |access-date=4 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827065546/http://www.forteantimes.com/features/articles/101/attenboroughs_fabulous_animals.html |archive-date=27 August 2009}}</ref> Eventually, the BBC signed a co-production deal with [[Turner Broadcasting]] and ''Life on Earth'' moved into production in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Life On Earth |publisher=BBC |access-date=22 August 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/january/life-on-earth |archive-date=9 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109111318/https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/january/life-on-earth |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1979, he visited China and reported to the West for the first time about China's one-child policy.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-02/david-attenborough-and-chinas-one-child-policy/102793902 |title=China's One Child Policy was a secret from the West. Then David Attenborough asked one question |newspaper=ABC News |date=September 2023 |access-date=4 September 2023 |archive-date=4 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904121624/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-02/david-attenborough-and-chinas-one-child-policy/102793902 |url-status=live }}</ref>