Head of Australia’s Freeview to exit

The CEO of Freeview, the service that promotes Australia’s free-to-air (FTA) networks and content, is leaving.

Liz Ross

Liz Ross is stepping down after eight years. Julie Flynn, former CEO of the commercial FTA broadcasters’ consortium Free TV Australia, will act in the role while the Freeview board searches for a successor.

Pubcasters the ABC and SBS as well as the Nine, Seven and Ten networks launched Freeview in 2008 to help Australians transition from analogue TV to the new digital channels. It now markets more than 30 channels and broadcaster VoD services, including Freeview’s digital platforms on Apple TV, Chromecast, mobile and web.

Ross said: “I am very proud of the achievements, innovations and the strategic evolution of Freeview over the last eight years under my leadership. We’ve worked hard to ensure that every Freeview product is providing aggregated live and catch-up services for all Australian consumers.”

Freeview’s chair, ABC chief digital and information officer Helen Clifton, added: “Liz has built Freeview into a well-recognised Australian entertainment brand. She has shown great leadership in bringing free-to-air broadcasters together to create a go-to platform for viewers looking for the best Australian and international content across our channels.”

Before joining Freeview, Ross was trade marketing and insights director at publisher and radio broadcaster Fairfax Media and media marketing manager at Rupert Murdoch’s News Ltd.