The Media Leader Podcast | Partner content | Cannes Lions 2026
For the second year in a row, the UK’s commercial TV companies made a splash at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
After unveiling Universal Ads — the broadcasters’ marketplace for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) — last year, Sky, ITV, Channel 4 and Comcast officially launched the product on Tuesday.
And on Monday, Channel 4 announced it had partnered with five demand-side platforms to make advertising with Channel 4 more accessible to advertisers.
During the week, in partnership with Channel 4, host Jack Benjamin sat down with Channel 4’s commercial chief, Rak Patel, as well as members of its commercial leadership team, Jay Kassam and David Amodio, in separate interviews.
He asked Patel, Kassam and Amodio about the latest news, the state of the UK TV industry, and how Channel 4 is balancing the need to reduce enough friction to make TV easy to buy, while retaining enough friction to make it a trustworthy medium for advertisers.
The Media Leader will be releasing the episodes in two parts, the first with Patel and the second with both Kassam and Amodio.
“You can be easy to buy, but retain your superpower,” Patel said.
“Broadcast is an oasis… The tech giants are a data warehouse, we are a dream factory.”
Listen now by hitting the play button or use the appropriate entry point into Spotify, Apple or Google Podcasts:
Thanks to our production partners, Trisonic, for editing this episode. Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience.
Highlights
1:43: Changes at Channel 4 over the past year
8:46: Taking a platform mindset to future-proof Channel 4
12:38: ‘Turn down the toxic’ hasn’t happened yet. What will move the dial?
14:12: Universal Ads is live. What it means for broadcasters, what the UK has learned from the US, and how the product will evolve
20:21: What is the go-to-market strategy for reaching SMEs?
25:30: ‘The wind of change’
Related articles
Universal Ads goes live in UK, providing TV with ‘easy button’
Leading Questions with Rak Patel – Channel 4 Sales
Meet the Media Owner: Channel 4 adopts a platform mindset
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