Channel 5 closes C5i

The closure of C5i, which was launched last year to sell advertising for sites including banana lotto.co.uk, Chateau Online and the Pearson online portfolio, is likely to result in the loss of ten jobs, including sales director Nick Bampton.

Channel 5 majority shareholder RTL took the decision after reviewing the market conditions across Europe in both TV and online. The news follows reports earlier this week that Carlton and Granada are to close their own third party ad sales operation.

Bampton, who has headed up the team since launch, said: “As a result, the board has decided that currently they no longer want to have third party ad sales. In terms of internet, it just hasn't taken off as forecasts suggested last year.”

Channel 5 will not rule out re-entry into the market in the future, added Bampton, who insists the decision to enter into third party ad sales last year was the right one.

However, Carl White, chief operating officer of 24/7 Media Europe, said media owners like Channel 5 failed to realise the implications of entering such a market.

He said: "It was crazy for businesses to think that they could just add on an ad serving arm - it's much more complicated than that. It's a whole operation, not just about adding a few sales staff."

Brampton disagrees, and said the market has affected everyone: “There were just two many people competing in the market, but this decision is an industry thing, it's not just about Channel 5.”

It's expected that Channel 5 will retain two members of staff to sell advertising across Channel5.co.uk. Bampton will stay on to oversee the transition of clients to other third party ad sales operations.

Other clients included The First Resort and Another.com.