Channel 4 vs STV

Faith In Nature Debuts First TV Ad in 52 Years

Faith In Nature, a UK-based eco-friendly personal care brand, launched its first-ever TV advertisement in its 52-year history, winning a slot through Channel 4's B Corp competition. The ad, titled 'Bees R Good', features a DIY-style production with employees in homemade costumes, celebrating the brand's commitment to nature and its unique corporate governance where 'Nature' holds a board seat. The campaign premiered on Channel 4 on October 4, 2026, and will air until the end of October. The ad was created by creative agency Dream Quickly, directed by John Ogunmuyiwa, and produced by Blink Productions. Faith In Nature shares a £600,000 prize pool with four other B Corp winners.

• Faith In Nature aired its first TV ad in 52 years.
• The ad 'Bees R Good' premiered on Channel 4 on October 4, 2026.
• The campaign was created by Dream Quickly and directed by John Ogunmuyiwa.

Channel 4's Katie Jackson on marketing for talkability

At The Drum Live, Channel 4's chief audience and marketing officer Katie Jackson discussed the broadcaster's 'talkability' strategy, which aims to spark conversations around its shows. Campaigns like the mysterious giant notes for drama 'Tip Toe' and the 'Fountain of Filth' installation for 'Dirty Business' were designed to generate buzz and social sharing. Jackson emphasized that for 16- to 34-year-olds, having talked-about content is the second biggest driver of streaming platform consideration. Channel 4 has developed an internal index to measure talkability, tracking social sentiment and engagement. Jackson also highlighted the importance of balancing bold marketing with commercial responsibility, and advised brands to focus on audience reactions rather than internal opinions.

• Channel 4's marketing campaigns for 'Tip Toe' and 'Dirty Business' aimed to generate audience conversation.
• For 16- to 34-year-olds, talked-about content is the second-biggest driver of streaming platform consideration, per Channel 4 data.
• Channel 4 built an internal index to measure talkability, tracking social sentiment, likes, shares, and engagement.

PSBs Discuss YouTube Distribution Trade-offs in BBC Charter Inquiry

The UK's Communications and Digital Committee has written to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, setting out its views on the BBC Charter Review. The committee highlighted that the BBC's strategy of distributing content on YouTube involves a trade-off between reach and control. They support both third-party distribution and strengthening the BBC's own services, like iPlayer, but warn of risks to audience data and advertising revenue. The committee also said new obligations must be matched with adequate funding. Witnesses from Channel 4, ITV, and Sky shared their perspectives, with ITV expressing concerns about becoming a 'tenant' on iPlayer. The letter comes ahead of the government's White Paper.

• The Communications and Digital Committee wrote to Lisa Nandy MP with its view on the BBC Charter Review.
• The BBC announced 550 job cuts in June as part of plans to save £500 million.
• The BBC's public funding has declined by £1.3 billion in the last decade.

KAYE AND SHEREEN TO GUEST HOST STV RADIO

STV Radio announces Kaye and Shereen as guest hosts, alongside other recent news including a new reality series 'The Mob' and Ross Kemp returning for more Bridge of Lies.

STV Announces Interim Results for 6 Months Ended 30 June 2026

STV has published its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026, with a regulatory announcement and report now available. The newsroom also features updates on STV Studios' Celebrity Catchphrase returning for Series 12, Ross Kemp back for more Bridge of Lies, and strong debut listening figures for STV Radio.

ARMY OF SHADOWS CAST ANNOUNCED

STV Studios announces cast for Army of Shadows.