A new test with regional TV advertising by Liberty Global’s Unitymedia and the ProSiebenSat.1 group has sparked protests from newspaper publishers and commercial radio stations.
Last Friday, May 25, the media authority of the state of Northrhine-Westphalia (Medienkommission der Landesanstalt für Medien Nordrhein-Westfalen – LfM) gave the green light for a ‘technical test’ of regional advertising, which can be blended in national programming.
The test is carried out for the next three months on the Unitymedia network with channels from ProSiebenSat.1 and the regional broadcaster WestCom Media Group. For the moment, only promotional spots will be carried for the Unitymedia products rather than ‘real advertisers’.
Late last year, similar test were carried out on the Kabel BW network.
The tests have sparked an immediate reaction from both newspaper publishers and commercial radio stations, which are both heavily reliant on regional and local advertising. They fear their business might be hurt with regional TV advertising on national channels and call the pilot ‘unlawful.’
The green light for the three month pilot, however does not constitute an official go ahead for regular regional advertising, said LfM managing director Dr. Jürgen Brautmeier.
