Channel 4 to take on Google & Facebook (16)

Channel 4 in European TV ad alliance to take on Google and Facebook

Channel 4, which offers shows including Great British Bake Off, Gogglebox, Humans and Hunted via All4, will be the exclusive UK partner in the alliance, the European Broadcaster Exchange. Channel 4 has joined an alliance of Europe’s biggest broadcasters to run commercials across their video-on-demand services, in a move to combat Google and Facebook’s dominance of online advertising. 

• Channel 4, which has reported more than 20% annual growth in its video service to more than 60 million monthly viewers, has taken a 25% stake in the joint venture for an undisclosed sum.
• Broadcasters have started to make increasing amounts of money from catch-up TV services, with Channel 4’s digital revenues climbing 24% last year to £102m.
• “The demand for multi-territory digital ad campaigns in brand safe and transparent environments is increasing,” said Jonathan Lewis, head of digital and partnership innovation at Channel 4.