| Fred Macaulay | |
| Birth Date: | 1 January 1925 |
| Birth Place: | Sollas, North Uist Scotland |
| Education: | University of Edinburgh |
| Occupation: | Gaelic Scholar, Radio Producer |
| Spouse: | Sybil Thom |
| Children: | 3 |
Fred Ewen Gillies Macaulay (1 January 1925 — 15 February 2003) was a Gaelic scholar and radio producer who was head of the BBC Gaelic department for 19 years, and oversaw a tenfold increase of Gaelic broadcasting time.[1] [2]
Macaulay was born in North Uist in 1925.[1] [3] He attended the Inverness Royal Academy.[1] [3] During World War Two, he served with the Royal Corps of Signals and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.[1] [3] He then studied at the University of Edinburgh, earning a Master of Arts in Celtic Studies and a diploma in phonetics.[1] [3] He joined the BBC Gaelic department in 1954[1] [3] [4] and became head of the department in 1964.[1] [4] [5] In 1980, he became manager of BBC Highland, based in Inverness, before retiring on 1 July 1983.[1] [3] [4] In his time at the BBC, Gaelic broadcasting on BBC Radio increased tenfold, from 1.5 hours to 15 hours per week.[4] Macaulay was also responsible for Gaelic programs on TV, including current affairs, and the light entertainment series Se Ur Beatha ('You're welcome').[1] [4] [6] [5] Macaulay also appointed the first woman in the BBC Gaelic department.[1]