Sky acquires ITV’s Media & Entertainment division: the implications for media buying and premium video

What’s changed?

This week, ITV announced that its Media & Entertainment division will be acquired by Sky, marking the consolidation of two major British media groups under one parent.

As a significant ownership change in the UK broadcast landscape, the acquisition is likely to have important implications for the wider media and buying market, reshaping how premium TV and streaming inventory is planned, bought and optimised across the ITV and Sky ecosystem.

Below, we’ve shared some detail as to why the acquisition is going ahead, how it will impact media buying and premium video for brands and agencies.

Why the acquisition?

The transaction is being positioned as a response to the increasing pressure from global streaming platforms and the need for greater scale in a fast-changing media market. ITV has said the move will “benefit viewers and advertisers,” while Sky has said the combination creates a UK champion with the scale and resources to compete more effectively on a global stage.

What does it mean for agencies?

From a media agency perspective, this is a meaningful and strategic development with the potential to improve scale, planning efficiency and the overall premium video proposition. It also has the potential to create a more connected broadcast and streaming offer, with the added benefit of stronger support for British content and, as Sky has indicated, potentially more free-to-air sport driving viewers back to TV.

The impact for brands

For advertisers in the UK market, the combination could bring greater reach, more effective frequency management and improved cross-platform planning across ITV and Sky. In the short term, we would not expect immediate changes to day-to-day trading, but over time the deal may support a more streamlined buying process, with combined data and more consistency across inventory.

How we’re preparing our clients

With strong working relationships with both Sky and ITV and a relentless future focus as The Agency of Next, we will proactively monitor developments closely as the deal goes through the usual regulatory scrutiny, which is expected to take around 12 to 18 months. We will ensure our clients are updated on any implications for planning, pricing, inventory access and audience strategy across the ITV and Sky environments.