ITV, Channel 4, and Sky, in partnership with Comcast Advertising, have announced the launch of a new advertising marketplace aimed at simplifying access to premium TV inventory. Set to go live in 2026, the new platform will allow brands, especially small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), to run a single ad campaign across all three broadcasters.
This move marks a major step toward making TV advertising more accessible to businesses that are used to buying ads on digital and social media platforms. For the first time, companies will be able to tap into addressable TV inventory from the UK’s top broadcasters through a single, easy-to-use system.
The marketplace will be powered by Comcast’s Universal Ads platform and its technology partner, FreeWheel. It will enable advertisers to bid for inventory, giving them more control over pricing, reach, and targeting. By combining the inventory of Channel 4 Sales, ITV Media, and Sky Media, the platform offers brands a unique opportunity to advertise across some of the most-watched TV networks in the UK.
Priya Dogra, Chief Advertising, Group Data and New Revenue Officer at Sky, said, “In today’s fast-evolving media landscape, we strongly believe success will require collaboration, simplification, and innovation. We’re excited to bring Comcast’s Universal Ads platform to the UK and open up TV advertising to new brands.”
The initiative is designed to appeal not only to established advertisers but also to new-to-TV brands that previously viewed TV ads as too complex or expensive. The biddable format and self-serve capabilities will make it easier for smaller businesses to tap into the power of TV, similar to how they already use digital ad platforms like Google or Meta.
Kelly Williams, Managing Director, Commercial at ITV, said, “As a TV industry, it is important that we collaborate to make television easy to plan, buy and measure for our established customers as well as the huge potential of new-to-TV brands.”
In addition to helping SMEs, the broadcasters are also exploring tools to simplify addressable ad buying for media agencies. A joint agency-facing solution, potentially based on ITV’s Planet V technology, is currently under discussion.
“Building on this innovation, we also want to simplify TV trading for established brands and agencies and look forward to exploring potential opportunities with ITV and Channel 4 to use Planet V,” Dogra added.
Rak Patel, Channel 4’s Chief Commercial Officer, said, “This marketplace underlines what sets TV apart from all other media: its ability to collaborate at scale. By uniting the power of Channel 4, ITV, and Sky through a single marketplace, we’re creating a new home for premium video while accelerating our Fast Forward strategy to become the first public service streamer.”
The move also follows the successful U.S. launch of Comcast’s Universal Ads platform. Thomas Bremond, Managing Director of Comcast Advertising International, said the platform is designed to bring efficiency and effectiveness to TV advertising by combining media, data, and technology.
“We are excited to work with the UK’s premier broadcasters to offer advertisers a simplified way to access premium video,” Bremond said.
This new advertising marketplace is poised to redefine how TV advertising is bought and sold in the UK. By creating an environment where SMEs can compete with big brands, the platform democratizes access to one of the most powerful forms of advertising TV. Furthermore, the ongoing efforts to bring in media agencies with shared technology show a commitment to innovation and efficiency across the entire advertising ecosystem.