Channel 4 hires M&C Saatchi to promote Middle Eastern debate.(Brief Article)

Channel 4 has broken with its usual practice of producing its promotional work in-house with the appointment of M&C Saatchi to promote its coverage of the explosive situation in the Middle East.

The agency has produced two 30-second spots which will trail Sunday's Channel 4 News debate hosted by Jon Snow on whether or not there should be a war with Saddam Hussein.

The trailers pose the awkward moral questions raised by the issue and ask: 'Whose side are you on?'

M&C Saatchi won the assignment, commissioned by Tim Gardam, Channel 4's director of programmes, after five agencies and creative consultants were asked to submit concepts at very short …