Adam Singer has been appointed chairman of Digital Radio UK, the organisation that will be preparing the UK for digital radio switchover.

A former chairman and chief executive of Flextech, which merged with cable TV company Telewest in 2000 (of which he was also chief executive), Mr Singer has worked at senior levels in broadcasting and telecoms in the UK, USA and Japan.

He is currently deputy chairman of the Ofcom Content Board and is, among other things, chairman of the British Screen Advisory Council.

He launched the Discovery Channel in the UK and Europe and was its first managing director for Europe.

He helped to create UKTV with the BBC, chaired Multithematique, a joint venture of channels with Canal Plus, and created Jupiter Programming and Telecoms in Japan with Sumitomo.

Speaking of his appointment, Mr Singer said: “Radio goes on forever - it’s only the transmission platforms that change, and digital gives radio and its listeners a future beyond analogue imaginings.

“There is much to do so that all can enjoy digital radio and I look forward to working with Ford [Ford Ennals is Digital Radio UK’s chief executive] and the Digital Radio UK Board as we give radio its rightful place as the digital belle at the broadcasters’ ball.”