VIMN & Sky Extend Commercial Partnership

LONDON: Sky and Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) have renewed their commercial partnership in the U.K. and Ireland for an additional five years, enlarging their advertising-sales relationship to include Channel 5's portfolio.

This means that Viacom's pay-TV channels will continue to be available in all Sky homes.

The agreement also extends their ad-sales relationship to include Channel 5, 5 USA and 5*. This bouquet will be added to the portfolio of 17 Viacom channels already sold by Sky's advertising-sales division, Sky Media. This takes effect in June. Channel 5's sponsorship, digital and on-demand sales will also be sold by Sky Media as part of the pact.

David Lynn, the president of VIMN UK, Australia and Eastern Europe, commented: “Sky is a highly-valued partner for Viacom and we’re delighted to extend our relationship for the benefit of our viewers and advertisers. We’re convinced Viacom’s interests are best served by a single point of advertising sales in the U.K. and Ireland and that Sky Media, with its strong track record of selling our pay-TV channels and its innovative approach to improving the targeting and effectiveness of TV advertising, is best placed to provide it.”
 
Andrew Griffith, the chief financial officer and managing director of commercial businesses at Sky, added: “The extension of our partnership with Viacom is great news for Sky customers as well as advertisers. The addition of Channel 5 will further strengthen Sky Media’s extensive channel portfolio. Advertisers will now have access to an even broader range of opportunities to reach customers using Sky Media’s creativity and innovation.”