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Murdoch Nets TV rival?
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July 14, 1999: 4:16 a.m. ET
U.K. digital TV chief resigns; may head News Corp. Web joint venture
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LONDON (CNNfn) - Media giant News Corporation scored a surprise coup by luring the head of British digital TV rival On Digital to head one of its new Internet operations, according to a report published Wednesday.
On Digital's chief executive, Stephen Grabiner, shocked investors by leaving Tuesday. On Digital is jointly-owned by Britain's Granada and Carlton Communications
Grabiner is expected to head eVentures, the Web-based joint venture recently set up by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and Japan's Softbank, according to a report in the Financial Times.
Grabiner's departure comes at a crucial time for the year-old U.K. digital market where On Digital and BSkyB - in which News Corp. has a 40 percent stake - have been fighting a bitter battle for market share.
Both companies have enjoyed healthy subscription growth after announcing in May that they would provide free set-top decoder boxes which had previously retailed at around $300 each.
BSkyB is on target to secure 1 million subscribers within three years while On Digital is ahead of its 500,000 target for the same period.
On Digital moved quickly to fill the gap created by Grabiner's move - announced after London markets closed - by naming Stuart Prebble as his replacement. Prebble was formerly head of interactive media at Granada. 
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On Digital
BSkyB
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