The platform operator of Freeview and Freesat has announced a new name and a strategy to take it into the streaming era.
Digital UK is taking on the new brand of Everyone TV with a mission to ensure everyone can enjoy high-quality TV across satellite, terrestrial and internet delivery.
Owned by the UK’s leading public service broadcasters, the change in name reflects a revised mandate for the organisation: to lead the evolution of free, universal, high-quality television, in a way that protects and strengthens the social glue provided by Britain’s broadcasting heritage. At the same time, it positions it for a point later in the decade when its shareholders might look to move away from digital terrestrial distribution.
Freeview and Freesat, which together offer 100% coverage of the nation and serve 18 million British homes, will retain their consumer brand identities.
Speaking ahead of Digital UK’s Outside the Box 2023 conference in London CEO Jonathan Thompson said: “Among our tasks in the years ahead is defusing a threat to universality that could catch the industry by surprise. From the Queen’s funeral to the victorious England women’s football team shared moments of sorrow and joy, drama and poignancy, are currently brought into every British home simultaneously by our world-leading television industry. But that could be lost in a fragmented future world of TV viewing. We at Everyone TV will lead the evolution of free television services in the UK so that universality – in all senses of the word – remains a fundamental principle.”
There are also changes to the senior team at the organisation that will consist of Chief Commercial Officer Deep Halder, formerly Head of TV Retail & Content Services at Samsung UK; Chief Technology Officer; Orf Warr, formerly CTO of Channel 4; Chief Product Officer (job share): Sarah Milton, formerly Digital UK COO & Carl Pfeiffer, formerly Head of Distribution and Platform Partnerships, Channel 4; Chief Finance Officer: Eric Mitchell, promoted from Finance & Legal Director.
As of mid-February, Everyone TV will also take up a new home in Triptych Bankside behind Tate Modern, where the Outside the Box conference is being held.
