Seven, Nine, and Ten are reportedly working with OzTAM to develop a broadcast video-on-demand (BVOD) ad platform that they hope will skim some money from the $2 billion that YouTube makes from advertising in Australia.
The goal is to combine the 7plus, 9Now, and 10Play platforms to make BVOD advertising easier and a better option for brands.
The project, imaginatively called “BVOD project,” is being led by OzTAM, which is co-owned by the TV networks and compiles the television ratings. The project would also stem the tide of declining revenues as a result of linear TV falling out of favour with viewers, who are increasingly choosing apps and streaming services.
Reportedly, TV representatives met major media agencies last week and issued non-disclosure agreements to adtech firms including Magnite, Xandr, and The Trade Desk ahead of renewed development discussions. The three firms declined to comment to the Australian Financial Review.
There is no set timeline for the system but it is understood that the networks would like to promote it at their annual upfronts which typically take place between October and November.
The new system would require the networks to share viewer data with OzTAM. The joint venture would be able to see when a person watches content on one platform and then switches to another. Having multiple people watching on one login had previously proved a measurement and attribution challenge for advertisers.
YouTube, by contrast, lets advertisers get far more granular with their campaigns and can target adverts to logged-in users based on their previous online behaviour.
“On behalf of the commercial broadcasters – the Seven, Nine and Ten networks – OzTAM has been facilitating discussions about a BVOD trading initiative aimed at improving the way the industry can plan, buy and measure BVOD,” said an OzTAM spokeswoman.
“Those discussions continue as the broadcasters work to agree on the overall project scope.”
The project, if successful, would be a world first, letting advertisers target viewers across multiple networks without having to pay twice to reach the same viewers.
