No one is going to argue vociferously if one was to say free-to-air TV is in for some major changes in the next few years—although it remains to be seen if any of the advertisers complaining about increased advertising rates will actually stop paying for compound rate increases by taking free-to-air TV out of their media plans, at least in part.
There are any number of other media companies champing at the bit for some of the action that might flow away from TV because of discontent over rates, but these media could be facing a new breed of competition.
Macquarie Bank last week announced it has moved into direct broadcasting itself.
Now available free to air on the Digital 44 data casting platform, Macquarie Digital offers viewers financial information, commentary and analysis—and it also takes advertising.
Operated by Broadcast Australia, and only in its trial phase, channels on Digital 44 are available free-to-air to all homes with digital set-top boxes. Channels include Sports TAB pricing and event information, the Expo home shopping channel and the Australian Christian Channel.
It’s understood the advertisers represented on Macquarie Digital are chiefly luxury brands, although a spokesperson was unable to confirm this at press time.
While the introduction of a fourth commercial television network is unlikely to be supported by the market, keen media observers will be watching the data casting trial of commercial ventures such as Macquarie Digital with interest, especially if it nibbles away at any of that potentially loose free-to-air TV advertising revenue.
