James Fisher, whose extensive music industry career included senior international posts at Motown Records and ASCAP as well as a key role at the Music Managers Forum, died on April 3 in London after complications with coronavirus.
He was 89. Born in Perth, Australia, Fisher worked initially in radio and television there, and read the first news bulletin broadcast by the ABC-TV network in his hometown on May 7, 1960.
The following year, he emigrated to the U.K. and was employed by Independent Television News as a newscaster. In 1965, Fisher joined the BBC as continuity editor for its radio networks, and later as presentation editor for BBC Radio 1 and 2.