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Channel 5 has also hired a start-up agency, WalkerBannisterBuss, fronted by former BBC marketing director and Radio 1 controller Matthew Bannister, to spearhead the channel's planning and positioning.

Channel 5's review out of Walsh Trott Chick Smith, conducted through the AAR, was triggered by marketing director David Pullan, who joined from MTV in February.

"We have a lot of good programmes, but we don't have much of a relationship with viewers from a brand channel point of view,

said Pullan. "In a year's time we'd like to have more empathy with viewers."

Channel 5 clocked up 11.26% commercial audience share according to BARB figures for April, compared with 10.75% in January. The proposed shake-up of UK media ownership rules as a result of last week's draft Communications Bill has paved the way for BSkyB to make a bid for Channel 5. It is currently controlled by Bertelsmann-owned RTL, while United Business Media, which owns a minority 35% stake, is widely expected to offload its interest in the broadcaster.