James Grant Hay

Carefully tight-roped, leaving for interpretation around the word “tension.” https://lnkd.in/eqKrjFsQ

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How do you stay ahead in an era where media narratives change by the minute? Explore how MediaTrack's state-of-the-art broadcast monitoring tools can keep you informed and ahead of the competition. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gKKv_Kfs #MediaInnovation #BroadcastMonitoring #MediaTrack

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Loving the new innovation from the team at Super Hi-Fi who are now working together with Audacy to transform how we experience radio streams. They’re pioneering some cutting-edge audio technologies that make streams not just sound better, but are smarter and more tailored to what listeners want. For us in the industry, this concept is a window into where the future of broadcast could be heading. It's more than just an upgrade—it's a potential roadmap for how radio can stay relevant and competitive. Is this the cue we need to open up more discussions on how these advancements could influence more than just our streams, but the core of how we connect with audiences today? What's your take? #AudioInnovation #RadioTrends #FutureOfBroadcasting https://lnkd.in/ehpF7cen

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Want to know the latest results from GfK - An NIQ Company Survey 4? Australian commercial radio continues to captivate an audience of 12.4 million listeners, with streaming and in-car listening on the rise. 📈 🎧 Radio streaming, in particular, has seen a significant 4.5% increase, now boasting 3.4 million listeners. 🚗 In-car listening has also surged by 5.1% year-on-year, highlighting radio's enduring relevance as a companion during daily commutes. 🍽️ Breakfast radio, known for kickstarting the day, has added 290,000 listeners, marking a 3.4% rise in its audience. Click the link for the full results and discover why radio continues to thrive in an ever-changing media landscape. 👇 https://lnkd.in/gtKtRe9F

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𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: • Roku Exceeds Wall Street's Q1 Earnings Forecast, Adds 1.6 Million Active Accounts to Reach 81.6 Million—The company reached 81.6 million active accounts, an increase of 1.6 million from the previous quarter. Streaming hours rose to 30.8 billion, up from 29.1 million in Q4 2023. • YouTube Q1 Ad Sales Top, $8 Billion As Parent Alphabet Declares First Ever Dividend, Shares Pop - Alphabet's strong financial performance, particularly from YouTube ad sales and the announcement of its first dividend. • Streaming Ratings: '3 Body Problem' Repeats as Overall No. 1 - '3 Body Problem' maintains its dominance in streaming ratings, showing its continued popularity. • Freelance Casting Assistants Launch Attempt to Unionise With Teamsters—Freelance casting assistants are making a significant move in the entertainment industry by attempting to unionise. If successful, this could improve working conditions and pay for these professionals. • Paramount and Skydance Make Progress on Potential Acquisition—If the deal is completed, David Ellison's media company will infuse $4.5 billion into the studio. • NZ On Air supports the next wave of young creatives with fresh funding. Its investment in new content targeting youth demographics indicates a focus on nurturing young talent in the entertainment industry. • Producers United was launched by 86 Top Film and TV "Career Producers" To Change the Fee Structure, Get Health Benefits, and stop Gradual Ecosystem Erosion. Producers United represents career producers' interests and aims to improve their working conditions. • Group M6 tops the formats buyer chart in France, but total commissions decline—The dynamics of the formats market in France, with Group M6 leading despite declining total commissions. • Cécile Gaget Leaves Wild Bunch and Joins Omar Sy's Carrousel Studios as CEO—Cécile Gaget's move to Carrousel Studios signifies shifts in leadership within the film industry. • Aaron Sorkin Writing a Potential' Social Network' Sequel: "I Blame Facebook for Jan. 6" - Aaron Sorkin's announcement of a potential sequel to 'The Social Network,' exploring the impact of Facebook's algorithm on democracy. Subscribe to our daily updates at the link below. Our subscribers include executives from companies including Netflix, France Televisions, Sky, ABC, Apple, Channel 4, ITV, A+E Networks, CBC, TV2, SVT & ARTE.

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Addressing the Pain Points in CTV FAST Channels: How Kapang is Revolutionizing the Industry Connected TV (CTV) and Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels have become increasingly popular, offering viewers a wide array of content without the need for a subscription. However, despite their growing audience, content creators and broadcasters face significant challenges that make the FAST business model less viable. Here, we explore three major pain points in the CTV FAST ecosystem and how Kapang is addressing them to create a more sustainable and profitable platform for content studios and broadcasters. https://lnkd.in/ebYeYqCZ

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CONTENT-TECHNOLOGY.COM Australian Industry Responds to TV Prominence Rules. The Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) has received some 22 responses to its call for submissions on its approach to implementing TV prominence rules, and opinions are mixed. Passed […] The post Australian Industry Responds to TV Prominence Rules appeared first on Content + Technology. http://ow.ly/RmG4105Nt8P

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Paramount Australia has announced a market-first partnership with FreeWheel, a Comcast Company and leading global technology platform for the premium video advertising industry. This collaboration delivers advertisers a single-entry point to seamlessly plan, trade, and measure total TV campaigns via Paramount Connect. Lee Sears, President International Markets Ad Sales, Paramount, said: “Our strategic partnership with FreeWheel aligns with our global vision to deliver unified advertising experiences for advertisers with cutting edge, powerful and fit-for-purpose technology that harnesses the unique attributes of both digital and linear TV. “Its successful implementation in the UK, US and Canada has delivered significant media efficiencies and effectiveness for our advertisers that we know will also benefit the Australian market.” Tess O'Brien, Managing Director, Australia & New Zealand on behalf of FreeWheel said: "... At FreeWheel, we are focused on helping brands and agencies tap into the incredible potential of total TV advertising and reduce the complexity in today’s TV ecosystem, while also giving publishers the tools and control to effectively monetise their content." Rod Prosser, Chief Sales Officer, Paramount Australia said: “FreeWheel enables the Paramount Connect gateway providing advertisers with access to high quality, scalable and addressable audiences, viewing our vast library of unrivalled global and local premium content, across our unified streaming platforms. “Our primary focus is on educating stakeholders and collaborating with our partners to ideate effectively so they can fully grasp the scale of the opportunity with Paramount Connect and obtain maximum benefit.” Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gqWDatGs

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Radio and podcast advertising is “booming” with a 21% growth in Australia’s online audio advertising market in 2023. This growth is continuing to accelerate as Australia’s digital audio sector audiences continue to expand. https://lnkd.in/g79STsfw

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WBD - Iceberg ahead "Warner Bros. Discovery to split its streaming and studio units from its legacy TV networks as one option to boost its lacklustre share price. The FT reports chief executive David Zaslav was weighing strategic options, including spinning off its Warner Bros movie studio and Max streaming service into a new company unburdened by most of the group’s current $39 billion net debt." Clearly something is going wrong at WDB, it seemed a while ago a streamer with incredible potential, and Zaslav at Discovery was a key adovcate of the eco-system idea, at a time when Disney under Chapek was going all in on streaming, and cutting ties with the world of #paytv and #lineartv Now, in proposing this spin-off, it seems that roles are reversed, that Disney under Iger once more is looking more stable as they look at building partnerships again and licencing content, and WBD are looking at outlandish ideas. "A break-up appears to be the strongest option with most of its debt remaining with the mature pay-TV networks business (where most of the cashflow still is) in such a scenario. But analysts at Bank of America have warned that such a split could have a “potentially devastating” impact on bondholders, and WBD rival Lionsgate recently faced a creditor revolt after separating its Starz pay-TV network." The spin-off doesn't seem like it would solve the problems. While unloading the debt would help the shareprice, it doesn't boost Max's chances going forward in a competitive environment, where they've entered late into the game in most markets, and in European Sky markets UK, Germany Italy haven't even come in yet. Also, what kind of red tape bureaucracy would that create between the pay-TV side of the business and the SVOD platform when licencing content. Remember also, as the article says, the bulk of the revenue is with the legacy business. So either the SVOD service rapidly grows subscribers & sells advertising and becomes profitable, or it could end up looking like Disney, hitting a roof quickly and then struggling to move forward and entering into a maliase. It doesn't make sense to me at least. Perhaps Zaslav could look at himself, and what he has brought or not to WBD. He's one of the best paid TV executives in the world, getting record raises year-on-year and yet commercially, WBD have been doing worse. This outlandish path could lead to more problems down the line too, as the market is so fragmented and competitive, de-linking Max from the pay-TV side could bring negative consequences for the business. #tvindustry #television #streaming #streamingplatforms #streamingmedia #max #wbd https://lnkd.in/eAymF5Be

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗢𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗩 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 In the ever-evolving landscape of television, the traditional boundaries between linear and streaming TV are becoming increasingly blurred. Yet, the industry continues to treat them as distinct entities, selling ad inventory separately for each platform. Some brands and agencies even lump streaming in with digital video and buy them that way.  This approach is not only inefficient but also fails to align with the way consumers actually view content. A Unified Approach: Premium vs. Non-Premium Inventory Consumers don’t differentiate between “linear” and “streaming” or “TV” and “digital.” To them, it’s all just “TV.” Given this, it’s time to rethink how we sell advertising inventory so that it aligns with the way viewers see it. Instead of the outdated dichotomy of linear versus streaming, we need to categorize inventory into “premium” and “non-premium” across both platforms. This is not as crazy as it sounds—it has been proven to increase CPMs and thus profitability. But first, a little on how it would work. “Premium inventory” e.g., top-rated originals, library hits and prime-time slots, would continue to be sold via direct sales. This method ensures publishers will continue to get top dollar for their best content, maintaining the profitability of their premium offerings. Direct sales offer a level of control and personalization that is crucial for high-profile offerings, whether those offerings are on linear or on streaming. The latter is key for two reasons: more and more viewers are becoming “streaming first” viewers, even if they still do keep a linear subscription, and more and more streaming services are rolling out originals and picking up sports rights. The combination means there is more premium content on streaming and that more people are watching it. All the more reason to sell it directly. Non-premium inventory, OTOH, is better suited for programmatic – or at least automated - sales. Automated buying excels at targeting specific audiences, making it an ideal solution for monetizing non-premium content. By leveraging data and automation, programmatic sales can connect niche audiences with the advertisers who are looking for them, thus maximizing value, fill rates, and utilization. Automated audience-based trading has long been the go-to for streaming inventory, but it’s time for linear services to adopt it too, at least for their non-premium inventory. This is not as painful as it sounds. Spot buying is notoriously inefficient for low-value inventory and uses up needless resources. Automating it has been proven to drive up profitability while also lowering trading costs. And by “proven” I mean “proven with real-world examples in markets outside the US.” READ THE REST ON TVREV https://lnkd.in/erJDT_3n

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If the Minister does not amend Australia's commercial television industry code of practice on gambling advertising, connected TV will be the beneficiary of at least $128 million in additional ad spend. Like the anti-siphoning amendment, the exemption of broadcast-on-demand apps while serving gambling and alcohol advertisements streamed in an app, online or on a smart TV, using an internet connection is currently not restricted. Last year, 68% of gambling ads was spent on linear ($133m on metro and $29m on regional), 15% was spent on social media ($34.6m), 9% in metro radio markets ($22.4m) and 8% on other online platforms (websites and apps) ($19.5m). Gambling and alcohol spots on linear TV peak in the evenings. 22% of gambling ads shown on free-to-air TV were aired between 7 and 10 pm. Between 9 and 10 pm the highest number of ads airing in both metro (41,300) and regional (35,800) TV markets. In the 12 months between May 2022 and April 2023, over half a million (504,100) gambling ads were aired on metro TV: 51% were ads by online gambling providers (256,200 spots) 20% were ads for lotteries (99,500 spots) 17% were ads for lottos (84,000 spots) Source: Nielsen #ConnectedTV #StreamingTV #LiveStreaming #TVAdvertising #SportsBetting

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Warner Bros. Discovery confirms Max launch in 7 Asian markets in November 2024. Max streaming service will be available in 72 markets worldwide, with more to come in 2025. Company expands presence in Southeast Asia. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has revealed the long-awaited launch date for Max in a number of markets across Asia. The media company announced on Tuesday that the streaming service will go live in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong on November 19th. Warner Bros. Discovery said the platform will be offered in a range of plans. These include a lower-cost mobile-only tier targeted at Southeast Asia. Pricing details will vary by country and operator. WBD has long operated a standalone HBO Go streaming service in parts of East Asia, but the Max offering will replace that platform with both superior technology and a larger content library. Following earlier launches in North America, Latin America and Europe, the Southeast Asian launch brings Max's reach to 72 markets. Asia Pacific is the last major region where the service is not yet fully available. That's why WBD has big plans for the Asian market in 2025. The Asia Pacific video streaming market size was valued at USD 27.31 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 113.05 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 22.5% during the forecast period. The Asia Pacific video streaming market is growing at a faster rate due to factors such as increasing internet connectivity, mobile phones, and the need for video content. The market is highly concentrated, with major players such as Tencent Holdings Limited, Google LLC and Netflix Inc. accounting for a significant market share. Regulations aimed at protecting consumer rights and privacy may affect market dynamics, while the threat of product substitution and the level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) remain key factors shaping the competitive landscape. However, there are also challenges and restraints such as piracy and copyright infringement, high bandwidth and data consumption requirements, competition from traditional media channels, and regulatory uncertainties and privacy concerns. WBD is taking a big step that could bring them a lot of new viewers and subscribers. To compete with players like Netflix or Apple TV, they need to be proactive and forward-thinking. The Asian market is huge and can be very profitable, so there is no time to waste if they want to win this game. Let me know what you think in the comments. You can find a link to the full article in the first comment under this post. Follow my profile to stay up-to-date when it comes to industry news, technology updates, and market analysis. #SzymonKarbowski #StreamVX #videostreaming #WarnerBrosDiscovery #Max #AsianMarkets #AsiaPacificMarket

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Embracing the Streaming Revolution: Ad-Supported Tiers Drive Growth! The Australian entertainment subscription market continues its upward trajectory, growing by 5% to 52.3 million services in the past year. This demonstrates the insatiable demand for video, music, and gaming services in a rapidly evolving landscape. Within this dynamic market, the Subscription Video-on-demand (SVOD) sector stands out, with a robust growth rate of 4%, further cementing its significance in the digital entertainment realm. Netflix retains its throne as the leading streaming service, amassing 6.2 million subscriptions. Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Stan, Paramount+, Binge, Kayo Sports, and YouTube Premium also hold their ground, catering to a diverse range of entertainment preferences. What's driving this growth in SVOD? The advent of more affordable ad-supported plans has propelled subscriber numbers, accounting for a remarkable 11% of total SVOD services. Consumers are embracing the opportunity to enjoy their favourite content while optimizing their budgets—and the trend doesn't stop there! A recent study reveals that nearly half of SVOD users are interested in ad-supported plans. This consumer receptiveness opens exciting opportunities for more engaging and cost-effective streaming experiences in the future. A vibrant content ecosystem and the allure of Australian-produced content have captivated audiences across SVOD platforms. Drama, documentaries, and comedy have emerged as the favoured categories, with users yearning for even more locally-driven content and storytelling. Innovation is critical, with projections indicating a potential reach of over 30 million SVOD subscriptions by 2028. Robust content pipelines, the emergence of new players like HBO Max, and the increasing availability of ad-supported plans will shape the next phase of the streaming revolution. Get ready for exciting times ahead as ad-supported tiers reshape the streaming landscape, paving the way for immersive video experiences and unprecedented content variety. #StreamingRevolution #SVODGrowth #AdSupportedTiers #NetflixDominance

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