Plowright was educated at
Scunthorpe Grammar School. He began his career in journalism as a reporter on the
Scunthorpe Star, and was, briefly, the equestrian correspondent of the
Yorkshire Post. He joined
Granada Television as news editor in 1957. which led to
John Cleese describing Robinson as an "upstart caterer". Plowright's exit was regarded as a turning point in the process whereby ITV gave profits a bigger priority than programme quality. At Granada, Plowright was a defender of the often controversial current affairs programme,
World in Action. Under his leadership, dramas such as
Brideshead Revisited and
The Jewel In The Crown became successes for the company. In 1993, Plowright, with the support and backing of the
University of Salford established the Nations and Regions Media Conference (now Salford International Media Festival) to champion the cause of regional broadcasters and producers. He believed the nations and regions of the United Kingdom should have a bigger share in the production and decision-making processes of the major broadcasters. ==Family==