Sky and Viacom deal sees Channel 5 sales team dissolved

Agostino di Falco, Channel 5’s acting deputy commercial sales director, is among the 90 staff set to lose their jobs.

Sky has today announced a five-year extension to it commercial partnership with Viacom in the UK and Ireland – with Channel 5’s sales team subsequently receiving the chop.

Viacom acquired Channel 5 in September last year for £450m – and is now wholesaling its commercial impacts to Sky Media, which will be the sole re-seller of all Viacom advertising inventory in the UK and Ireland.

The vast majority of Channel 5’s existing 90-strong sales force will lose their jobs when the business is integrated into Sky Media from 1 June.

“We’re convinced Viacom’s interests are best served by a single point of advertising sales in the UK and Ireland,” said Viacom president for UK, Australia and Eastern Europe, David Lynn.

Channel 5’s commercial sales director, Nick Bampton, resigned from his post in March this year after more than four years in the role.

It is understood that Agostino di Falco and Ross Belcher, Channel 5’s acting deputy commercial sales directors, are now among the staff set to lose their jobs.