U-K Broadcasters Put Commercials On Pause

The UK’s broadcasters, publishers and platforms have scrambled to pause advertising in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death at the age of 96.

The Drum reports ITV, the country's biggest commercial broadcaster, will run with no commercial breaks on its main TV channel until at least the end of Friday as it instead dedicates its entire schedule to rolling news coverage and special programming commemorating the Queen’s life and 70-year reign.

Channel 4 has confirmed that “all advertising and sponsorship has been temporarily suspended on Channel 4 and All 4” while Bauer Media, one of the UK’s biggest commercial radio networks, said it will suspend regular programming and introduce an obituary schedule. For a time, all commercial messaging including airtime, sponsorships and promotions will be suspended.

Social platforms are also putting in place a moratorium on advertising, with Twitter understood to be turning off ads in the UK for 48 hours. The Drum has learned that Snapchat has also now informed media buyers of a pause to all advertisements across its news and public service broadcaster content on Discover in the UK for 24 hours.

The Daily Mail is among publishers pausing advertising on its website, with its news coverage overwhelmingly dominated by the reaction to the monarch’s passing.

Clear Channel, one of the biggest out-of-home networks in the UK, has suspended all ads on its digital displays. “As a sign of respect for the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, all Clear Channel UK digital displays will be blacked out until 6am on Saturday,“ it said.

Fellow OOH network JCDecaux said it will not post any new advertising and will pause all commercial advertising on its digital screens for 24 hours. All of its digital screens will show a tribute to the Queen - some will display the official portrait provided by Buckingham Palace (pictured above), while others will show tributes from landlord partners. It will also pause commercial digital advertising on the day of the state funeral and will be blanking all posters along the funeral route.