Channel 4 launches digital sales house for publishers

Channel 4 today announced the launch of a digital ad sales house that will see it become the first UK broadcaster to offer third party digital content publishers a full ad sales service. Channel 4 will seek partnerships with broadcaster on-demand platforms, news content publishers and multi-channel networks giving them access to its unique first-party data and clout as the leading commercial broadcaster for digital sales.

By expanding its third party ad sales representation into the digital market Channel 4 will strengthen its own digital revenue growth and ability to compete with global media companies such as Facebook and Google – benefits which will be extended to its third party publisher partners.

BT Sport is Channel 4’s first digital ad sales partner. The broadcaster’s dynamic advertising inventory will be exclusively sold through 4 Sales from January 2018.

The new digital sales house proposal enhances the range and scale of premium digital inventory available to advertisers exclusively through 4 Sales – in turn Channel 4 extends its pioneering ad technology from Freewheel including Dynamic Ad Insertion of live events, and its distinctive first-party data strategy including bespoke data matching models to enrich ad targeting solutions for partner publishers and advertisers.

Jonathan Lewis, Head of Digital and Partnership Innovation said: “Next year we will provide advertisers and agencies with a large scale one-stop-shop for quality digital content which is underpinned by Channel 4’s reputation as an advertiser-safe environment, leading ad tech innovation and our award-winning viewer data strategy.

“BT Sport has arguably one of the most demanded premium dynamic ad inventory in the market with its exclusive UEFA Champions League coverage, 42 Premier League games, The Emirates FA Cup, and Premiership and European Rugby and we look forward to welcoming them and more partners on board in 2018.”

Jeremy Rosenberg, Head of Advertising Partnerships at BT said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Channel 4 with their advance DAI solution to drive efficiencies and relevant advertising across BT Sport’s live streaming service across desktop and our award winning app.”

In 2016 Channel 4 recorded a significant growth in digital revenues which broke over £100m for the first time (£102m up + 24% on 2015) and comprised more than 10% of its total almost £1bn revenues. This was driven by commercial innovation such as programmatic trading, data-led ad products and growth in All 4 views of +21% to 620m.

Channel 4 has over 16 million registered viewers to its on-demand platform All 4, including almost two thirds of all 16-34s in the UK.