Free TV operator Digital UK rebrands as Everyone TV, makes new hires, promotions

Digital UK, the company that operates the UK’s free TV platforms Freeview and Freesat, has rebranded as Everyone TV while making a raft of hires and promotions within its executive team.

Jonathan Thompson

The rebrand was announced yesterday at Everyone TV’s Outside the Box conference in London, focusing on the future of free-to-view television and the public service broadcasting (PSB) sector, with CEO Jonathan Thompson introducing his reshuffled top-tier of directors.

Deep Halder, formerly head of TV retail and content services at Samsung UK, has been appointed as Everyone TV’s chief commercial officer; while Orf Warr is the new chief technology officer, having previously held the same position at Channel 4.

Job sharing the title of chief product officer are: Sarah Milton, promoted from chief operating officer at Digital UK; and Carl Pfeiffer, formerly head of distribution and platform partnerships at Channel 4.

Finally, Eric Mitchell has been upped from finance and legal director to the role of chief finance officer.

According to the company, the rebrand reflects a revised mandate for an organisation which serves 18 million British homes, underlying its mission to champion free TV and “safeguard the nation’s shared love of unifying, magical television moments.”

Thompson said: “Among our tasks in the years ahead is defusing a threat to universality that could catch the industry by surprise.

“Shared moments of sorrow and joy, such as the Queen’s funeral and the victorious England women’s football team, 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 remains a fundamental principle.”

“Having the right senior leaders in post at Everyone TV is critical to ensuring we can achieve our strategic objectives of successfully delivering the evolution of free TV platforms for a digital age and supporting the health of free-to-view TV for the long term.”

Founded in 2005 (as Digital UK), Everyone TV is a joint venture owned and supported by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, with the latter joining as a member in 2021, the same year that Freesat merged with Digital UK.