Channel 4 and Google launch private marketplace for audience-targeted streaming
UK broadcaster Channel 4 has expanded its partnership with Google Display & Video 360 to launch a new private marketplace. Developed in collaboration with Omnicom Media Group, the initiative allows advertisers to use Google Audiences data to target Channel 4's premium streaming inventory programmatically while maintaining privacy protections.
Key Takeaways
- Advertisers can now target Channel 4 viewers using Google Audiences segments based on long-term consumer interests.
- The marketplace was built in collaboration with Omnicom Media Group to unify targeting across connected TV and digital video.
- Inventory is accessed via Google Display & Video 360, combining Google’s audience signals with Channel 4's premium programming.
- The launch is part of Channel 4's 'Fast Forward' strategy to simplify programmatic purchasing for agencies and brands.
Why It Matters
Broadcasters are under increasing pressure to match the data granularity of social platforms while maintaining the safety of premium TV environments. By integrating Google's massive interest-based data sets directly into its private marketplace, Channel 4 is lowering the barrier for digital-first advertisers to move budgets into high-quality streaming content. This moves the industry closer to a unified buying model where CTV is treated as another addressable digital screen rather than a siloed broadcast buy. Watch for whether rival UK broadcasters like ITV or Sky respond by opening similar data-sharing pipelines with major demand-side platforms.
Additional Context
The marketplace launch aligns with Channel 4’s 'Fast Forward' strategy, which aims for streaming to account for 30% of total viewing by 2030. According to the broadcaster's May 2025 financial update, digital ad revenues have already reached £306 million, representing 30% of its total revenue and meeting a key 2025 goal a year early. This growth is underpinned by record streaming volume, with views rising 13% to 1.8 billion in 2024. Per Channel 4 reporting from January 2026, the broadcaster also reached a critical milestone in 2025: for the first time, 16-34-year-old viewers streamed 53% of their total Channel 4 consumption, up from just 36% in 2023. Channel 4 has been aggressive in diversifying where and how its content is monetized. In June 2025, it became the first UK broadcaster to distribute video programming on Spotify, following similar first-mover partnerships on TikTok and Snapchat. Its long-standing YouTube partnership has also matured into a significant revenue driver; full-episode views on the platform rose 169% in 2024, per VideoWeek. By integrating Google Audiences data, Channel 4 is bridging the gap between its third-party social distribution and its owned streaming platform, creating a more consistent data layer for advertisers who are increasingly shifting budgets toward digital video. Broadly, the UK digital advertising market is shifting toward these high-impact video formats. IAB UK reported in March 2026 that video advertising investment grew 20% to reach £9.3 billion in 2025, making it the fastest-growing format by spend volume. Digital formats now account for approximately 86% of total UK ad spend, per the January 2026 AA/WARC Expenditure Report. As linear budgets continue to migrate, partnerships that simplify the transition to addressable TV—like this one with Google and Omnicom—are becoming the baseline requirement for broadcaster survival.
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