Telenet has become the first operator to respond to a request by Belgian broadcasting asking for the introduction of a revised, uniform model for TV advertising to boost the local TV market.
According to Telenet, it will start implementing the necessary changes from the end of September for the DPG Media and SBS channels. As a result, viewers will sit through one minute of unskippable adverts before any recordings they’ve made of VTM programmes (DPG Media) and Play programmes (SBS). Users of Terugkijk TV, Telenet’s catch-up service, will no longer be able to fast forward through ad breaks during programmes, but they will still be able to fast forward the programme content itself. As soon as Telenet customers have been switched to the new model, they will automatically receive seven days of Terugkijk TV free of charge. VRT and the other Belgian broadcasting groups will introduce unskippable commercials at a later stage.
The new advertising model is similar to the one viewers are used to when watching online video platforms. The other operators also support the philosophy behind the new model and are currently holding constructive talks with the broadcasting groups about the concrete timing for its implementation.
Telenet notes that advertising income is the main source of income for commercial broadcasters, but because viewers are watching fewer ad breaks, the commercials in question need to be repeated across longer runs to make sure they reach the requisite number of viewers. As a result of these longer runs, broadcasters are no longer able to sell the same amount of advertising time as they used to. At the same time, advertisers are directing more and more of their budgets online towards international tech giants such as Facebook and Google, where they can target their campaigns at specific target groups. This loss of advertising income is putting significant pressure on investment in local productions.
The Belgian TV sector has been mulling over this changing evolution and the associated question of how local programmes can remain both high-quality and affordable for a number of years now. Broadcasters and operators have already been working together on initiatives in this area, such as addressable advertising (making sure advertising on TV is as targeted as possible, just like it is online) or pause-button advertising (showing an advert when a programme is paused). However, these initiatives no longer suffice to keep the quantity and quality of local fiction at its usual level. As local content remains highly popular, it is crucial for viewers that high-quality programming can continue to be produced in Belgium. With that in mind, broadcasters and operators are joining forces once again to introduce a revised TV advertising model.
DPG Media and SBS will be the first to introduce the revised advertising models for their VTM, VTM 2, VTM 3, VTM 4, VTM Gold, Play4, Play5, Play6, and Play7 channels. Één, Canvas, and the other Belgian channels will follow at a later date.
Telenet will gradually start rolling out the model from the end of September 2021 onwards. The first stage will cover all viewers who watch digital TV via the latest Telenet TV box. All other digital TV customers will follow later on in 2022. The update will be performed automatically on the set-top box and will also apply to viewers watching via a second screen through Chromecast or the Telenet TV app, for example.
As soon as the new advertising model has been activated on their set-top boxes, these customers will receive seven days of Terugkijk TV free of charge as standard. All customers concerned will be personally notified of the changes in the next few weeks. Customers will also see a notification on their TV as soon as the changes take effect.
