What Clearcast does

Clearcast is a UK-based private limited company that provides pre-clearance of television and video-on-demand advertisements against the BCAP Code before they are broadcast. The company serves three primary customer groups: advertising agencies, brand advertisers, and UK broadcasters (including ITV, Channel 4, Sky, and STV). With origins dating to 1964, Clearcast cleared 30,501 ads for broadcast in 2022 and reported an ASA upheld-complaint rate of 0.02% in 2025, indicating strong regulatory compliance performance.

The company's core technology is "The Library," a proprietary digital platform where agencies and advertisers register, submit creative content, track clearance status, manage clock numbers, run quality control checks, and coordinate delivery to broadcasters. The platform is supported by an API V2.0 for system integration and is augmented by the MediaMagic explainable AI platform, developed in partnership with Northell (part of HH Global), which retrieves historical clearance precedents and applicable regulatory clauses. Clearcast's product portfolio extends beyond clearance into a modular set of services: Fast Track and 2-Hour TVC expedited clearance, Copy Development and Pitch & Research Review creative consultancy, On-Set Guidance, Out-of-Hours clearance, Subtitling (£200 + VAT per TVC), Audio Description (in partnership with The Voiceover Gallery), Premium Delivery Services, Premium Data Services (API Data Portal and Attribution), and CPD-certified Ad Accessibility Training (£1,500-£4,500 per cohort).

The business model is professional services-led with per-submission unit pricing, supplemented by training, accessibility services, and emerging data/API revenue streams. The go-to-market is B2B enterprise field sales through direct account relationships with agencies and brand marketing teams, with no consumer or self-service channel for core clearance. Clearcast markets through content (blog, news, case studies), industry events, training programs, and the #AdsForAll social campaign, which won the first-ever EASA Social Impact Award in 2024. Ownership structure is that of an independent, self-sustaining private company with no disclosed VC or institutional investment; the company appears to be backed by its shareholder broadcasters and operates UK-only.

Name

Clearcast

Legal name

Clearcast Limited

Website

https://clearcast.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clearcast is a UK-based pre-clearance service for TV and video-on-demand advertising, reviewing ads against the BCAP Code for advertising agencies, brand advertisers, and UK broadcasters. It also offers delivery, accessibility, training, and data services via its Library platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising Compliance Services

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Quality Control & Compliance (Linguistic QC, Technical QC, Platform Specs) (MPAHAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Broadcasting Accessibility & Public Service Compliance (Captioning, EAS, ADA) (MPABADAO)

Keywords

• TV ad clearance
• Broadcast advertising compliance
• Advertising pre-clearance
• BCAP code compliance
• Ad accessibility services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ad Clearance Services: Core clearance services for TV and video-on-demand advertising, including standard clearance, fast track clearance, out-of-hours clearance, on-set guidance, and copy development. Revenue generated through per-submission fees.
2. Delivery Services: Ad delivery management to broadcasters including ITV1, ITV4, ITVX, STV, STV Player and other channels. Manages distribution orders and copy rotation instructions.
3. Subtitling Services: Closed caption/subtitling services for TV commercials at £200 + VAT per TVC. Includes in-house subtitling and procured subtitling options.
4. Audio Description Services: Audio description services for blind and partially sighted audiences, created in partnership with The Voiceover Gallery.
5. Training Courses: CPD-certified training courses including Ad Accessibility Certificate, clearance process training, and industry education. Pricing ranges from £1,500-£4,500 depending on group size.
6. Commercial Services (TV Admin): TV Admin services including UK clearance registration, copy advice management, international clearance coordination, and ad hoc services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Clearcast pre-clears UK television and video-on-demand advertisements against the BCAP Code before broadcast, ensuring regulatory compliance for agencies, brands, and broadcasters. It operates The Library, a proprietary digital clearance platform, and offers premium clearance, delivery, data, accessibility (subtitling and audio description), and training services to support compliant campaign delivery across UK broadcast.

Product overview

Clearcast operates as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture centered on The Library platform for TV commercial clearance. The core offering combines clearance services (including script review and final ad approval against BCAP Code) with Premium Delivery Services (managing ad delivery to broadcasters), Premium Data Services (API data portal and attribution), and specialized tools. Premium add-on modules include Fast Track and Fast Track 2-Hour TVC for expedited clearance, Copy Development for creative consultancy, and accessibility services (Subtitling and Audio Description). The portfolio also includes supplementary tools (Flashing test, Duration of Hold Calculator, Supers guidance, and the AI-powered Caria assistant), training courses (Ad Accessibility Certificate), and commercial support packages. The company is expanding into AI-powered clearance through its partnership with Northell using MediaMagic® technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Library: Clearcast's primary digital platform for TV commercial clearance, submission management, and asset delivery to broadcasters
• MediaMagic
• CARIA
• CopyCentral

Quantifiable outcome

• Only 0.02% of cleared ads were formally upheld by ASA in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NorthellcoreTechnology or Integration · 18 December 2025Clearcast partnered with Northell (part of HH Global) to transform UK advertising clearance by integrating explainable AI technology through MediaMagic platform. The partnership aims to enhance transparency, efficiency, and consistency in ad reviews while maintaining human oversight. MediaMagic turns historical clearance decisions into an intelligent, auditable resource, providing clearance teams with relevant precedents, regulatory clauses, and confidence levels when issues are flagged.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Red Bee Media: UK-based broadcast services company offering subtitling, captioning, audio description and playout services to broadcasters including the BBC. Closest UK peer to Clearcast's accessibility and delivery services, competing for the same broadcaster-driven accessibility spend.
• ZOO Digital: UK-based provider of subtitling, dubbing and localization services to broadcasters and streaming platforms. Closest direct competitor to Clearcast's Subtitling and Audio Description services, especially as UK broadcasters mandate accessible advertising.
• IYUNO Media Group: Global localization, subtitling, dubbing and media services company formed from merger of SDI Media and IYUNO. Direct peer to Clearcast's accessibility and delivery service lines, serving the same global broadcast and streaming customers.
• Extreme Reach: US-headquartered ad delivery and creative asset management platform that delivers TV/video ads to broadcasters and publishers. Directly comparable to Clearcast's Delivery and Commercial Services (CCS) business, handling copy clearance and distribution ordering for major networks.

Emerging players

• Veritone: AI software company focused on media, advertising and broadcast workflows including content intelligence, ad verification and compliance. Comparable to Clearcast's MediaMagic/Caria AI capabilities, targeting similar broadcast and advertising customers with AI-driven media tools.

Broad incumbents

• FreeWheel: Comcast-owned ad management and monetization platform for broadcasters and premium video publishers. Operates in Clearcast's downstream workflow handling ad delivery and monetization for major TV networks, broader in scope but adjacent to Clearcast's delivery services.
• Mediaocean: Global advertising technology platform spanning linear TV, digital and CTV planning, buying and delivery. Broader incumbent operating upstream and downstream of Clearcast's niche, but functionally adjacent in the UK broadcast ad workflow.

Others

• Thinkbox: UK marketing body for commercial TV and video, funded by broadcasters and sales houses. Industry body rather than direct competitor, but operates adjacent to Clearcast in setting standards and promoting TV advertising effectiveness in the UK.

Regional players

• Ad Standards Australia: Australia's national advertising self-regulatory body that handles ad complaints and pre-vetting. Closest functional equivalent to Clearcast in another English-speaking market, operating the equivalent of Clearcast's compliance role against the AANA Code of Ethics.
• Ad Standards Canada: Canadian advertising self-regulatory organization that pre-clears and adjudicates ad compliance. Directly analogous to Clearcast's mandate under the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards, serving agencies, broadcasters and brands in a single national market.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clearcast-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clearcast