29 August 2014
UKTV has appointed award-winning Creative Head Scott Russell to work across its network of ten channels, as the leading broadcaster shapes a compelling new creative vision and road-map for its brands.
With more than 10 years? experience in the broadcast industry, Russell will lead UKTV?s Creative Services team and is challenged with overseeing all creative output including on-air promotional trailers, continuity and navigation, off-air advertising, brand development and new media activity such as the network?s recently-launched digital brand UKTV Play.
As Creative Director, Russell will report to UKTV?s Marketing Director, Simon Michaelides, who commented,
I?m thrilled to be welcoming Scott to the business. He joins us at a very exciting time, with UKTV?s performance continuing to go from strength to strength; having just delivered our best ever six months. Scott comes to us with a wealth of experience gained at Sky, Living, and Bravo, and an outstanding creative track record; not only winning numerous creative awards, but also consistently driving business results.
Michaelides continued, "His broader skill set makes him a valuable addition to our management team, and I have no doubt that he?s the right person to lead the creative agenda, and help realise our ambitions for the business. I very much look forward to working with Scott and our external creative partners over the coming months, to define the next leg of UKTV?s creative journey.?
Russell added,
With its mixture of brand defining commissions and stand out acquisitions, it is my absolute pleasure to be joining such an ambitious and creative broadcaster. Throughout the industry, UKTV is known for being a fantastic place to work and from what I have already seen for myself I just can?t wait to get started.
Russell joins UKTV from Sky, where, in his role as Head of Creative for Sky Movies & Sky Store, he successfully launched Sky Movies Disney, the first ever co-produced Disney channel. Leading a team of ten, his department won 13 Promax awards in 2013, including Gold & Silver for best film promo in both the Global and UK Awards.
Previously, heading up creative for Living TV, Russell oversaw some of the channel?s most successful ever programme launches, including hit shows Britain?s Next Top Model, Greys Anatomy and Criminal Minds.
At UKTV, Russell will lead a team of more than 20 people including a group of Red Bee Media staff, based within the broadcaster?s brand new state-of-the-art office in Hammersmith.
UKTV has received critical recognition for its recent creative output, including the RTS Craft & Design ?Graphic Design? award for the trail and packaging for Eden series David Attenborough?s Natural Curiosities last year. The broadcaster also picked up 12 wins at the Promax UK Awards 2013, including the much-coveted 'Channel of the Year' award for Dave, which is now Britain?s most watched non-PSB channel, as well as a ?Most Innovative Use Of Digital? award for Suits on Dave and ?Best Factual Promo (Originated)? and ?Best Design? for David Attenborough?s Natural Curiosities.
UKTV is currently enjoying its most successful period in the network?s 21 year history, with share of viewing up 16% year-on-year. The broadcaster has maintained audience growth against increased investment in content across the past three years.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Lara Feinstein, Corporate Communications Coordinator
Kerry Parker, Head of Network Communications
About UKTV
UKTV is the multi-award winning media company that reaches over 42 million viewers per month.
UKTV's eleven imaginative brands - Watch, Dave, Gold, Alibi, Eden, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Good Food and UKTV Play - include the most watched non-PSB channel, the most watched channel in the Factual genre and the most watched channels in the Lifestyle genre (Pay and Free). The company?s most recent financial results showed a record-breaking year-end revenue of £262m, and operating profit at £71m.
UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC and Channel 4 content, and embracing technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT TV, TalkTalk, YouView, iOS and PC. The network distributes its highly valued programmes to 200 territories around the world and supplies Sky with more hours of HD content than anyone else.
Now celebrating its 21st year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.