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Channel 4 makes new accessibility commitments as it announces 10th Diversity in Advertising Award

Channel 4 makes new accessibility commitments as it announces 10th Diversity in Advertising Award

Channel 4 has launched the 10th edition of its Diversity in Advertising Award.

The theme, as last year, remains “inclusive by design”.

Meanwhile, as part of its own commitment to accessibility, Channel 4 will require all ads running across linear and streaming to have closed captions by spring 2026.

All of Channel 4’s streaming inventory will also carry text descriptions and subtitles by the end of next year.

Furthermore, the broadcaster is committing to improving its commercial partnerships in accessibility terms.

Sponsorship idents will continue to have “inclusive by design” at their core and all creative partnerships will seek to contain subtitles as standard.

All brand deals will need to adhere to a set of accessibility standards and inclusive principles, encompassing those set out by Channel 4’s Disability Codes of Portrayal and a digital handbook created by Channel 4 Sales, Bupa and Purple Goat.

The digital handbook, which launches later this year, will contain best practice and links to further learning for advertisers.

Highlighting these new commitments, Channel 4 customer and commercial leader Amy Jenkins said: “We are proud to continue driving change for our commercial partners and viewers with these new commitments, and to build on learnings to increase the speed at which we deliver on our intentions.

“Our partners at Peach, Extreme Reach and Clearcast are on hand to help, and we will support brands in making their ads accessible. We are committed to improving the accessibility and inclusion of TV advertising.”

Currys was the winner of the 2024/25 Diversity in Advertising Award. Its campaign, “Sigh of Relief”, was created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and was shown on Channel 4 in May.

Rak Patel, chief commercial officer at Channel 4, added: “We’ve already seen great results from Currys and AMV BBDO, so repeating the brief is important so that we continue our bid to make adverts more accessible and inclusive, inspiring advertisers and creative agencies.”

Deadline for submission for the 2025/26 scheme is 26 September.

The winner receives £1m in airtime across linear, VOD and YouTube. As in previous years, the five non-winning shortlisted brands will be offered up to £250k of match-funded commercial ad space.

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