Channel 4 will be the new exclusive ad sales partner for Paramount UK brands, which includes (Channel) 5, 5Star and 5USA.
Channel 4 has struck up a deal with Paramount, which will cement the British broadcaster as the exclusive ad sales partner for Paramount’s wide range of UK brands from 2027, including its public service network, (Channel) 5.
Paramount poached the over £300m ad sales business from Sky, which is owned by Comcast. This is a positive step for Channel 4, which recently announced it was cutting around a quarter of its workforce.
While ostensibly this is a blow to Sky, it may help the media company obtain regulatory approval for its deal to take over ITV and ITV’s streaming service. If and when Sky takes over ITV, the business will take control of around 70% of the traditional TV ad sales market, which includes third-party deals and digital sales on streaming services.
Roughly 90% of Channel 4 revenue comes from advertising. Within this deal, publicly-owned network will take over control of ad sales for 5, as well as promotional slots for brands like Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV.
Channel 4 chief executive, Priya Dogra, said: “This exciting partnership, which brings together ad sales for Channel 4 and 5 for the first time, creates a tremendous proposition for advertisers, rooted in the power of public service broadcasting.
“This groundbreaking collaboration will give advertisers seamless access to a unique portfolio of trusted, premium brands and even larger audiences. It will also generate new commercial opportunities for two distinctive commercial PSBs, helping support further investment in British programming.”
Under the agreement, Channel 4 sales will be responsible for airtime sales across across 5’s portfolio of TV and streaming channels including 5Star, 5USA and Milkshake. It is the UK’s third largest commercial public service broadcast (PSB) and reaches 96% of UK homes with 28.5 million people each month.
(Channel) 5 has been the fastest growing PSB streamer in the UK for two years running, with 24 million registered users.
This deal will offer advertisers a new opportunity to target UK audiences that span across broadcaster video-on-demand (VOD), children, 16-34-year-olds, ABC1s and across the different regions.
Reemah Sakaan, president, 5, added: “5 is on an incredible run, delivering must-watch hits that draw large, loyal audiences across every platform. Combine that momentum with Channel 4’s commercial strength, and advertisers get a scale and targeting proposition they won’t find anywhere else.
“This is a historic partnership between two British broadcasters and I am excited to work with Priya and the team at Channel 4 to create a unique market proposition, that puts audiences first and strengthens public service media in the UK for a digital future.”
Ad sales for Paramount’s direct-to-consumer brands, such as Pluto TV and Paramount+, will be handled in-house. It will also continue to handle social alongside sponsorship and creative partnerships across the portfolio of Paramount brands in the UK, including 5, MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.
