BT shortlists C4, Channel 5 and BSkyB for ad sales contract

By Maisie McCabe, mediaweek.co.uk, Tuesday, 08 January 2013 09:10AM

Channel 4, Channel 5 and BSkyB's Sky Media are believed to have been shortlisted for BT's TV ad sales contract, which is due to be finalised by the end of January.

Premier League: BT has secured rights to live coverage

It is thought that no further formal pitches for BT's new sports channel are planned but the prospective sales houses are likely to be asked to submit more information. The winning sales house is likely to be told by the end of the month.

The pitch for the contract kicked off in autumn 2012. Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky Media were invited to pitch against ITV and a number of smaller advertising sales houses.

It is understood Axiom Media, fronted by former ITV exec Jeremy Lawrence, Sony Entertainment Television’s Dolphin TV and John De Napoli's Mean Broadcast have not made it through to the final stages of the process.

ITV was also in the running for the production contract to produce BT's sports TV programming but pulled out of both processes last year.

BT is currently developing a TV proposition after winning the rights to broadcast live coverage of 38 football matches a season from 2013/14 in June 2012, after agreeing to pay the Premier League £246m a year.

Spokespeople for BT, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky declined to comment.

This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk