Author profile
David Elstein
Broadcaster
After graduating with a double first in History from Cambridge, David Elstein joined the BBC as a General Trainee in 1964. In 1968 he moved to ITV, working on “This Week” and “The World At War” at Thames TV and “Weekend World” at LWT. He edited “This Week” from 1974-78, and was Executive Producer, Documentaries for Thames 1978-82. He set up Brook Productions in 1982 for the launch of Channel 4, making series such as “A Week In Politics”, as well as creating and executive producing the Emmy-winning drama “Concealed Enemies” for Channel 4 and PBS, and “Nosenko” for HBO and the BBC.
He returned to Thames as Director of Programmes from 1986-92, moving to BSkyB as Head of Programming 1993-6, and then launching Channel 5 as Chief Executive 1996-2000.
Subsequently, he served as chairman of various media companies, as well as of the National Film and Television School, the British Screen Advisory Council and the Commercial Radio Companies Association. He was a board director of Virgin Media for five years, and a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Oxford, Stirling, and Westminster.
He is an honorary fellow of Gonville and Caius College Cambridge.
He returned to Thames as Director of Programmes from 1986-92, moving to BSkyB as Head of Programming 1993-6, and then launching Channel 5 as Chief Executive 1996-2000.
Subsequently, he served as chairman of various media companies, as well as of the National Film and Television School, the British Screen Advisory Council and the Commercial Radio Companies Association. He was a board director of Virgin Media for five years, and a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Oxford, Stirling, and Westminster.
He is an honorary fellow of Gonville and Caius College Cambridge.
