DRDB Appoints New Chief Executive

Tony Moretta has been appointed to the role of chief executive of the Digital Radio Development Bureau, taking up the post in June.

Moretta has spent the past five years as general manager of broadcast at National Grid Wireless, where he was responsible for the commercial side of the broadcast business.

In his role at National Grid Wireless, he led the bid for the second national commercial DAB digital radio multiplex last year, although the licence was eventually won by 4 Digital Group (see Ofcom Publishes Reasons For DAB Multiplex Licence Award).

Simon Cole, DRDB Chairman, said: “Tony is a passionate advocate of DAB digital radio, a passion that has been born out of a close involvement in the development of the technology over the last few years at NGW. He knows well the challenges ahead as we take digital to the next stage of its development and I am impressed with the excitement that those challenges generate within him.”

Moretta has also been a director of Freeview for the past three years and, prior to joining NGW, he worked in the digital TV industry as director of interactivity for ITVdigital. Here he was responsible for developing the company’s interactive services across multiple platforms, including games and text services on DTT and its internet on TV service, ONnet/ITV Active.

Moretta said: “I am pleased to be taking on this role at a time when the DRDB has never been better supported – by broadcasters, manufacturers and retailers.

“There are a lot of exciting developments ahead for DAB, and I look forward to getting that message across to consumers and seeing them buy even more digital radios for their homes, pockets and cars.”

Paul Brown will continue as temporary DRDB chief executive until Moretta takes up his post in June.

DRDB: 020 7306 2630 www.drdb.org