Burnet, Alastair, 1928-2012

Sir James William Alexander Burnet (12 July 1928 – 20 July 2012), known as Alastair Burnet, was a British journalist and broadcaster, who had a career working in news and current affairs programmes, including a long career with Independent Television News (ITN) as chief presenter of the flagship News at Ten; Sir Robin Day described Burnet as "the booster rocket that put ITN into orbit". He began his career in journalism as a sub-editor and junior leader writer for the Glasgow Herald newspaper from 1951 to 1958. Burnet joined the weekly news and current affairs magazine The Economist in 1958 before becoming ITN's political correspondent in 1963 and working on a number of current affairs programmes such as This Week. Burnet was one of the first newsreaders of the half hour News at Ten bulletin in 1967. He left television broadcasting in 1974 to become editor of the Daily Express newspaper until 1976. Burnet rejoined ITN to read the news on the News at 5:45 bulletin and he returned to present News at Ten two years later. He retired from ITN in 1991.