David Mills
David Mills is a British independent television producer who has produced and directed over 120 programmes for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
After leaving the London School of Economics he worked as a newspaper journalist before joining Granada Television in 1967. He joined the BBC in 1969 and worked as a current affairs producer on "24-Hours", "Midweek", "Tonight", "Newsnight", "The Money Programme" and "Panorama". He conducted major investigations into the Palestinian terrorist organisation Black September, the shooting of 13 people by the British Army in Londonderry and South African espionage in Britain. He also made a series of 50 minute documentaries for the BBC, including a portrait of Sandhurst (the British Army's officer training academy), a record of a cruise in one of Britain's nuclear missile submarines and an investigation of the Soviet economy.
In 1978 he joined Thames Television and worked on its main current affairs programme TV Eye. While there he made two celebrated documentary programmes in Cambodia on the collapse of the Khmer Rouge.
In 1980 he moved to Granada Television to work on Britain's highest rated current affairs show, World in Action. He remained with Granada until 1994 during which time he made over 60 separate editions of World in Action. While specialising in "issue" programmes on education, health and the economy he also ran a series of investigations: these included an expose of political pressure on the BBC, malpractice within the NHS and financial irregularities during Britain's privatisation programme.
Since 1994 he has worked as an independent producer with his own company, Mills Productions Ltd. making programmes and series for Channel 4, the BBC and ITV. These include the Channel 4 Commission on Education and other major programmes on education, the NHS, race relations and the economy. In 1998, with his wife Clare Mills, he made the Channel 4 documentary on early years education: 'Too Much Too Young'. He also produced the two hour A&E special on the JonBenét Ramsey child murder in Colorado and two further ITV documentaries on the case. He has just completed a major documentary about dyslexia for Channel 4.
With Clare Mills he is currently working on a book about early years' education in Britain.
David Mills is secretary of the Campaign for Quality Television in London and as such, one of a group of British producers actively campaigning to maintain traditional "public service" values in broadcasting.
Email: david@millsproductions.co.uk