UK’s Channel 4 and 5 strike exclusive pact bringing together advertising sales

UK broadcaster Channel 4 (C4) and media giant Paramount have signed a “groundbreaking” deal that brings together advertising sales for C4 and 5 for the first time.

Priya Dogra

From 2027, C4 Sales will become the exclusive advertising sales partner for UK-based Paramount networks, including commercial broadcaster 5, kids’ brand Milkshake!, 5USA, 5Star, 5Select and 5Action.

It will also represent ad sales for additional Paramount offerings such as MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.

The agreement allows advertisers to leverage commercial opportunities across the portfolios of both companies. C4 content includes dramas such as Tip Toe and Dirty Business plus unscripted formats like Virgin Island, while 5 has scripted hits All Creatures Great & Small and The Hardacres and sports coverage including the NFL and the Tour de France.

Priya Dogra, chief executive of C4, said: “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.”

Reemah Sakaan, president of 5, said: “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.”