Discovery has reappointed Sky Media to "handle its ad sales in a new long-term deal" that is estimated to be worth over £800M ($1B) over at least five years, according to Gideon Spanier of CAMPAIGN LIVE. Negotiations took at least four months and "were said to have been tense at times" as Discovery looked at moving its estimated £150M ($191M)-a-year ad sales contract for its 11 factual and entertainment channels to another partner. Discovery "declined to comment on the length of the latest deal." One source claimed that "there was one point where it appeared that Discovery was ready to walk away from Sky." Discovery’s talks with Channel 4 "lasted until last Friday." Discovery also talked to ITV and "sounded out other broadcasters, including UKTV, as it examined whether it could set up its own ad sales house along the lines of Brand Deli, a joint venture in the Netherlands." It is known that Discovery’s negotiations "went beyond ad sales and included the carriage deal." However, a new carriage deal "has not been finalised" (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 10/4).
