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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Mark Sweney

Queen’s funeral may break TV records, but ad blackout will cost media dearly

A tribute to the Queen is displayed on a giant screen at Piccadilly Circus in London.
A tribute to the Queen is displayed on a giant screen at Piccadilly Circus in London. Photograph: Bernat Armangué/AP

The death of the Queen and coverage of her funeral will top the ranks of the most-watched broadcasts in British television history, while newspaper publishers have seen an unprecedented boost in sales as mourners seek commemorative copies. And yet the biggest national event in decades will not provide a commercial bonanza for media firms.

ITV has planned its largest-ever outside broadcast, with all of its channels simulcasting ad-free blanket live coverage for the first time in history. The day of the funeral will also be the first time in Channel 4’s four decades on air that it has instituted a 24-hour ad block across its channels.

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