Sky, ITV, and Channel 4 Unite to Counter Big Tech's Ad Dominance

In a strategic move to challenge the growing dominance of big tech in the advertising sector, major UK broadcasters Sky, ITV, and Channel 4 are collaborating to create a unified advertising platform aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This initiative, announced on June 17, 2025, seeks to disrupt the current landscape wherein companies like Facebook and YouTube capture approximately two-thirds of the £45 billion UK advertising market.

The collaboration between Sky, ITV, and Channel 4 arises in response to concerns that the traditional television advertising model is losing ground to digital platforms that offer more accessible advertising solutions for smaller businesses. According to a report by the Advertising Association and WARC, the broadcast video-on-demand (BVOD) market, which encompasses the streaming services provided by these broadcasters, is valued at around £1.1 billion annually (Advertising Association, 2025).

Currently, Google and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, dominate the advertising space by providing a self-serve model that allows advertisers to easily book campaigns with minimal investment. This has particularly benefited SMEs, which often have limited budgets for advertising. As a result, traditional broadcasters have seen a decline in ad revenue, with a reported £3.9 billion spent on conventional television advertising in the previous year (Television Advertising Bureau, 2024).

The new initiative will enable businesses to purchase advertising across all participating broadcasters' streaming services through a single marketplace, mimicking the convenience offered by tech giants. A TV advertising executive involved in the project stated, "This is a fightback. Facebook and YouTube have done really well in allowing anyone with a credit card to book an ad campaign. TV has never really played in that market before."

While the broadcasters are optimistic about attracting a portion of the £30 billion allocated for digital advertising in the UK, they acknowledge the challenge of competing with established digital platforms. The initiative is also a response to Meta's recent plans, announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to enhance its targeting capabilities for small businesses through artificial intelligence tools (Reuters, 2025).

Sky, Channel 4, and ITV are currently exploring the implementation of a simplified buying platform based on ITV’s existing technology, Planet V, which would facilitate media agencies in booking campaigns across multiple platforms (ITV Press Release, 2025). This collaborative effort not only aims to retain advertising revenue within traditional media but also to redefine how TV advertising can engage with the evolving digital landscape.

As the advertising industry continues to evolve, the collaboration among these broadcasters reflects a significant shift in strategy to reclaim market share from tech giants and support the growth of SMEs. The implications of this initiative could potentially reshape the advertising market in the UK, fostering a more level playing field for small businesses seeking visibility in an increasingly digital world.