In the early sixties he was appointed as a producer in the Gramophone Department where he worked on a number of popular programmes such as Housewives' Choice, Midday Spin, and Two Way Family Favourites as well as late evening shows like Music to Midnight.
Johnny was at the forefront of this process, recruiting the DJ talent and devising the jingles, subsequently producing the first ever show with Tony Blackburn.
This grew from a small caravan operation on Newquay Beach to an 80-foot mobile stage show housed in a series of articulated trucks, supported by a giant outdoor TV display visited by 500,000 people a year.
[citation needed] In 1985, he was appointed Controller of the Radio 1 Network, responsible for the entire output including such major projects as the sound for Live Aid.
During his time there he cultivated the "Smashie and Nicey" image despite appointing more music oriented presenters like Mark Goodier, Nicky Campbell and Simon Mayo.
Beerling commissioned the design of the RDS logo and encouraged car manufacturers to factory-fit compatible radios in their vehicles.
He also became a governor of the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in May 1993, and in the same month was presented with a Sony Award for Outstanding Services to the Radio Industry.
[citation needed] In 1959 he married Carol Ann Reynolds, with whom he has a son, David Beerling,[7] and daughter, Julie Margaret Wood.