OLD media executives never die, they just end up at dotcom firms. David Elstein, who quit as boss of Channel 5 last year, has emerged as the non-executive chairman of Silicon.com, the online news and recruitment site for IT professionals.

Elstein will juggle his new job with other directorships and interests. He is chairman of the British Screen Advisory Council, a non-executive director of AIM-listed Civilian Content, a film distribution company, and is a senior adviser to the consultancy firm Arthur D Little.

Silicon founder and chief executive officer, Rob Lewis, who will announce Elstein's appointment tomorrow, said: 'David has an excellent track record and we will be seeking his advice and insight into the traditional media business to help Silicon.com sustain its continued growth.'

Elstein, a former head of programming at BSkyB, said: 'We want to develop an international business and media strategy that will turn it into an established business.'

The former Channel 5 supremo, who is credited with helping to turn the company into a £1 billion business, resigned last October. Although Elstein has always declined to give his reasons for leaving, media pundits say there was talk of bust-ups with the French broadcaster RTL, which owned 65 per cent of the company.

Launched in July 1998 by Lewis, a former fledgling publishing tycoon who started a chain of magazines from his bedroom, Silicon recently received £14 million through a third round of funding from Banc of America Equity Partners Group.

The company used the cash to develop operations into France and Germany.An initial public offering could now be in the pipeline.