1. Gus Macdonald won a scholarship to Allan Glen's School, Glasgow, but left at 14 to become an apprentice marine engineer at Alexander Stephen and Sons shipyard in Linthouse on the River Clyde and where he was one of the leaders for the apprentices' strike in 1959 along with fellow members, Billy Connolly and Alex Ferguson.
Gus Macdonald moved to London in 1962 where he was briefly involved in revolutionary socialist politics as a member of the International Socialists, living at the London home of its foremost member, Tony Cliff.
Gus Macdonald has said that he returned to his political roots working at the Labour weekly Tribune around 1964, where he was appointed as the circulation manager by Michael Foot.
Gus Macdonald has worked as a journalist on The Scotsman and as a member of the Insight team on The Sunday Times.
Originally taken on as a researcher, he was with Granada Television from 1967 to 1986 where he was appointed joint editor of World in Action with John Birt; Gus Macdonald had an association with the programme for many years.
Gus Macdonald presented Granada's What the Papers Say as well as Right to Reply and "Union World" on Channel 4.
Gus Macdonald returned to Scotland in 1986 as Director of Programmes for Scottish Television.
Gus Macdonald took over two newspapers, The Herald and the Evening Times, plus the other ITV contractor in Scotland, Grampian Television.
Gus Macdonald became non-executive chairman of Scottish Media Group plc at the end of 1997, and Chairman of Taylor and Francis plc in 1998.
Gus Macdonald was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to broadcasting in the 1997 Birthday Honours.
Gus Macdonald retired from the House of Lords on 27 April 2017.
Gus Macdonald is on Steering Group of the OECD Futures Programme on Infrastructure and advisory board of OECD International Transport Forum.
Gus Macdonald was installed as Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University in October 2007, succeeding Magnus Magnusson.
Gus Macdonald served as a Governor of the British Film Institute, a member of the council and of Court at the University of Sussex and is Patron of the Dystonia Society.