12 April, 2016

SBS Fights Ad-Blockers With Switch Media’s AdEase

By John Hanrahan

Australian public broadcaster the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) has commenced rolling out Switch Media’s new anti-ad blocking technology across its SBS On Demand services including their network website, iOS and Android apps.

Switch Media’s AdEase – which is being showcased to the world at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference in the United States next week – enables SBS to maximise its online revenues by invalidating the increasing number of ad blocking apps.

To date, Switch Media has integrated the AdEase solution into the recently launched SBS On Demand AppleTV v4 app, and within a couple of months will roll it out to the SBS On Demand iOS and Android apps and website. This will be quickly followed by integration with the broadcaster’s apps for Smart TVs, Chromecast and game consoles.

The server-side ad insertion tool not only side-steps ad blocking technologies, but delivers a smooth, TV-like viewing experience that integrates ads into program content across any digital device. Unlike other server-side ad insertion products, AdEase does not require full ingestion of a broadcaster’s video library in order to perform ad insertion, but rather, integrates easily into any pre-existing video management system.

SBS director of TV and online content, Marshall Heald, said, “We’ve been incredibly impressed at how AdEase has improved the SBS On Demand viewing experience around ad breaks.”

“As well as removing the annoying buffering, the seamless stitching of ads makes the transition invisible to ad blockers. It’s a huge leap forward across all our apps and devices and positively impacts our advertising bottom line allowing us to invest more into distinctive content for Australian audiences, which is a key priority for SBS.”

CEO of Switch Media, Christopher Stenhouse, said SBS was the first broadcaster to integrate AdEase into their online content offering, with a number of other broadcasters expected to integrate the product into their online digital properties in the coming months.

“SBS was impressed with the AdEase product’s unique, video platform-agnostic approach and highly configurable server-side ad insertion. AdEase easily integrated with SBS’s existing video platform and all of their third party ad serving partners, such as DoubleClick, Videology and Tubemogul,” Stenhouse said.

“AdEase allows broadcasters to eliminate ad-blocker effectiveness and deliver a seamless viewing experience by integrating ads directly into any type of streaming content from live sport to drama and news.

The technical advantages of AdEase include:

Dynamic Server-Side ad insertion for VOD, linear and live video content
Advanced anti-ad blocking capabilities
More accurate audience targeting capabilities
Continuous TV-like experience
Zero buffering
Content management system agnostic
No ingesting of content required
Ad detection and replacement capabilities

Stenhouse said streaming ad-supported content enabled by AdEase for the Broadcast, Film, Entertainment, Sports, Live Events, and Online Video sectors will save companies millions of dollars in the long run.

“Ad-blocking apps were probably inevitable but allowing ads within the streaming of content ensures it can be provided free to consumers, without them having to subscribe or go behind pay-walls,” he added.

“AdEase not only enables content providers and advertisers to maximise revenue through its anti-ad blocking technology but it also provides a highly interactive user experience, audience demographic targeting capabilities for a more personalised viewing experience, and advanced user-behaviour analytics.”

Switch Media will be presenting at NAB in Las Vegas on 18-21 April

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