The Guild of Television cameramen has elected Dick Hibberd as honorary president. His appointment was approved unanimously by the GTC's 20-strong management council under its chairman, Brian Rose.

Dick Hibberd began his career in 1949 as a trainee film director with an Edinburgh-based production company before joining Ferranti, and later Decca Radar, in film production roles. In 1952 he progressed to BBC Lime Grove as a technical operations cameraman, moving to ATV in 1955 to do multi-camera studio and OB work. In 1962 he joined Alpha TV in Birmingham and in 1964 TWW (later HTV) in Cardiff, ultimately as head of cameras. He later moved to Thames TV, working as a technical supervisor, sometimes filling in as a lighting director, then studio supervisor, and finally production manager.

"Without Dick Hibberd there would be no Guild," said GTC co-vice chairman John Henshall. "It was his idea, his drive and his organisational skill which got it going. Forming a broadcast-related craft guild in the early 'seventies was revolutionary. The GTC was soon emulated by lighting directors, vision mixers and audio people. With the Guild's 'specifications', suppliers at last had a single considered and distilled view of what cameramen needed. Without really wanting anything more than to improve the service they gave, the GTC enabled cameramen to influence technological and operational developments. All this was due to Dick Hibberd's vision and leadership. He also does a great job of presenting GTC awards each year at the National Film Theatre in London."

"At the age of 80, I am still very active in the world of television albeit unpaid as cameraman, lighting cameraman, director, and tea-boy on amateur video productions," said Dick Hibberd. "I am still fascinated by the video medium and its ever-accelerating development. I feel very honoured to have become the Guild's first president and will do my utmost to maintain and uphold the organisation's ideals. Many professional television cameramen feel that the viewing public should never be aware of their presence. This has had an effect on their collective psyche and in general they are very poor self-publicists. I shall do my utmost to raise public awareness of the men and women who make up the Guild of Television Cameramen, of the profession and of the GTC itself. 'Big Cat Diary', 'Springwatch', 'Autumnwatch' and 'Life' with its 10 minutes exposé at the end of the programme, are all examples of the great interest that the general public have in our work."