Steve Holebrook appointed Managing Director of Digital 3&4

30 March 2023

Channel 4 and ITV’s multiplex service Digital 3&4 today announced it has appointed Steve Holebrook as its new Managing Director as Greg Bensberg MBE steps down after ten years in the role.

Reporting into the Digital 3&4 board, Steve will lead the strategic approach of the business and manage the operations of the Digital 3&4 service across all engagement on behalf of its joint owners Channel 4 and ITV. This will include the management of Digital 3&4’s contracts with Arqiva and BT, which recently saw Channel 4 and ITV’s Freeview channels move to cloud-based processing.

Steve Holebrook said: “Digital 3&4 is making some huge steps forward for the television industry, and I am thrilled to be taking the helm to continue to drive innovation for the future of broadcasting. I am very much looking forward to developing Digital 3&4’s technical, legal and commercial position as well as collaborating with its excellent partners Arqiva and BT.”

Steve previously worked at Arqiva where he held a number of leadership positions, latterly he oversaw the integration of the terrestrial broadcast and satellite business units in his role of Managing Director of Media Networks. Prior to that he led the Terrestrial Broadcast business unit overseeing the 700Mhz Clearance programme and the expansion of the UK’s DAB networks as well as Arqiva’s Smart Meter network rollout. Before joining Arqiva in 2005, he worked at NTL Broadcast as Managing Director of Media Solutions where he took the commercial lead for all of NTL's relationships with satellite and terrestrial TV broadcasters.

Greg Bensberg MBE, who has been Managing Director of Digital 3&4 since June 2013, will remain at the company for a handover period before stepping down. Greg also holds positions as Director at Oxford Broadcast Consultants, as a Member of the Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board, and the Editorial Board at the Journal of Digital Media & Policy since 2018.

Greg Bensberg MBE said: “I am delighted that Steve Holebrook will take over the leadership of Digital 3&4 from me this May. I have really enjoyed my time leading Digital 3&4 and working with ITV and Channel 4 colleagues and think that it is a very strong position to continue its leading role in the UK broadcasting industry. I have taken the decision to retire from this role after 50 years working in the broadcast industry starting as an apprentice with Marconi’s in Chelmsford in 1973 and spanning work in R&D with Quantel and Thames TV and regulation with the IBA, ITC and Ofcom.”

Digital 3&4 is a joint venture owned by Channel 4 and ITV. It holds their digital terrestrial television multiplex licence, issued by Ofcom under the 1996 Broadcasting Act, and the associated Wireless Telegraphy Licence also issued by Ofcom.

Steve Holebrook will join Digital 3&4 on 1st May 2023.

 

Ends

 

For further information:

 

Hope Hamilton/Corporate Press Officer/hhamilton@Channel4.co.uk

 

 

Notes to editors:

 

About Digital 3&4

 

D34 is a joint venture owned by ITV and Channel 4. It holds their digital terrestrial television multiplex licence, issued by Ofcom under the 1996 Broadcasting Act, and the associated Wireless Telegraphy Licence also issued by Ofcom. This structure was a requirement of Independent Analogue Broadcasters Order (1996), whereby the ITC put in place a process to require D34 to broadcast the ITV and Channel 4 services on DTT. Subsequently Ofcom required that the D34 multiplex (also known as PSB2) should replace the analogue ITV and Channel 4. Services and provide a universal DTT PSB 2 service, and hence to operate from all of the existing analogue television transmitter sites around the UK. It was also a requirement that the D34 multiplex carried the national Channel 5 service and the S4C service in Wales.

 

D34 contracts out the coding and multiplexing, distribution and transmission of its services to two primary contractors. Arqiva operate the DTT transmitter network under a Managed Transmission Services Agreement (MTSA). BT operate the coding and multiplex service from two data centres at BT Tower and Madley, and also operate the transmitter distribution network which feeds all of the main and principal relay stations with compliant multiplex signals. The majority of D34 circuits and systems are operated on a full dual circuit redundancy system.