Sky has renewed its long-term commercial partnership with Channel 4, ensuring Sky customers will have continued access to the public broadcaster’s brand and content.
Under the new agreement All 4 will be further integrated into existing and future Sky products such as Sky Q. The broadcaster will also use the Comcast adverting technology Freewheel that will allow its advertising inventory across linear and on demand to become addressable allowing for further content monetisation.
Sky customers will be offered a broader range of Channel 4 content including more than 1,000 hours of All 4 Exclusives. This is in addition to comprehensive catch up and a wide range of Channel 4 box sets. Upfront box sets will allow advanced viewing of selected shows ahead of their linear broadcast.
Alex Mahon, Chief Executive at Channel 4 said she was delighted to extend longstanding and incredibly successful partnership: “When we set out our Future4 strategy last year, we made clear that securing strategic distribution partnerships would be a vital part of ensuring we can maximise our reach and impact with viewers in a digital age, grow our revenues and compete more effectively for the future.”
Channel 4 Sales will integrate with Sky AdSmart, to better tailer ads to different pay TV households, and support CFlight, the industry’s first unified advertising metric that captures all live, on-demand and time-shifted commercial impressions.
“We know how much Sky customers love Channel 4’s content so it’s great that we’ve secured an extension, and expansion, to our existing agreement. This brings Sky customers more of what they want and supports Channel 4 to deliver on their key priorities, all while providing both parties with long-term confidence in the strategic partnership,” said Stephen van Rooyen, Executive VP & Chief Executive, UK & Europe.
Earlier this year, Sky finalised a new multi-year European partnership with Amazon, launching Prime Video on Sky and NOW devices, and signed long-term partnerships with Entertainment One and STUDIOCANAL, bolstering Sky Cinema’s offerings. Sky customers already have access to content from Netflix, Disney+, Warner Media (HBO), Showtime, Discovery, Fox and Sony.
