A consortium including Bob Geldof’s independent production company, Ten Alps, and ITN is to retain the Teachers TV digital television contract after being named as the government’s preferred supplier. Education Digital 2 is now in final talks with the Department for Children, Schools and Families over the £50 million (E70m) five-year contract to provide news, […]

Four of Europe's leading telecommunications network operators have been elected to the DSL Forum Board of Directors. The new members include Kevin Foster, of BT; Christophe Alter, from France Telecom; Mauro Tilocca of Telecom Italia; and Marcin Drzymala from Telekomunikacja Polska. Frank Van der Putten of Alcatel-Lucent, Les Brown of Infineon and Phil Skeba of […]

Co-founder of Pace Micro Technology Barry Rubery is returning to the digital TV industry by joining interactive technology provider Electra Entertainment as Chief Executive. Rubery joins Electra coinciding with the launch of its next-generation interactivity technology platform for digital terrestrial and satellite television Electra is part of General Entertainment Technology Corporation, the newly-established holding company […]

Virgin Media has confirmed the appointment of Neil Berkett to the role of Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. Berkett has been Acting Chief Executive Officer of the company since the resignation of Steve Burch in August 2007. Neil will also be joining the Board of Directors of Virgin Media. It also announced Jacques Kerrest, […]

Kate Burns, one of Google’s first UK managing director, has been hired to run the British operation of YouTube competitor Dailymotion. Burns has the job of increasing the online video website’s user numbers, the amount of user-generated and official content uploaded, and boosting revenues.

ITV has hired former BBC1 controller Peter Fincham to replace Simon Shaps as director of television. Fincham quit the BBC in the row over editing a programme trail in a misleading way. The company has also extended Michael Grade’s reign as executive chairman by an extra year to the end of 2010. Dawn Airey, the […]

Davide Rossi, chief of AEPOC, the anti-digital media piracy industry association, has denied allegations in the Italian press that he is implicated in smart card pirate ring. In recent days Rossi has been named in two Italian newspapers in connection with information acquired in raids in France, Poland, Greece and Sicily. The public prosecutor in […]

Eutelsat Communications has appointed former BT and Kingston employee Steve Maine as CEO of their jointly-owned venture offering Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) in S-Band. The Joint Venture, known under the name “Solaris”, will commercialise the first satellite infrastructure in Europe for broadcasting video, radio and data to mobile devices and vehicle receivers as well as […]

Jim Godfrey, ITV’s director of corporate affairs, is leaving in March after three years to set up his own PR agency. Godfrey, a former Labour special adviser, said he intended to specialise in political campaigns and branding with his new company, which will have ITV as its first client when it launches in July.

Virgin Media has appointed Alex Green as MD of its portal, responsible for accelerating growth of Virginmedia.com. Green takes on a new role within Virgin Media, which the media company says is unrelated to the departure of its director of portal Chris Bunyan, who leaves the company this week. Green will be charged with overseeing […]