In Australian media news this week, Macquarie Radio Network will acquire Sydney’s 2UE and 2GB from Fairfax Media, Val Morgan creates a new insights division, Fairfax announces new mobile ad products, and Free TV Australia raises concerns about SBS’ proposed advertising allowance increase.

Macquarie, Fairfax radio merger in Sydney

Macquarie Radio Network (MRN) will acquire Fairfax Media’s 2UE, 2GB and 2CH in Sydney, following the ACCC’s decision not to oppose the proposed move. Fairfax will also acquire 54.5% of MRN. MRN will divest 2CH in Sydney and 4LM in Mt Isa following the transaction due to regulatory requirements. ACCC chairman Rod Sims says market consultation with advertisers, advertising agencies, end-consumers and other radio stations and networks found that a Macquarie/Fairfax combined business would continue to face strong competition. “The ACCC considered the effect of the proposed transaction on the price of radio advertising, as well as the quality of news and other content provided to audiences.”

Val Morgan creates a new insights division

Val Morgan Cinema Network has formed a new insights and analytics division with the task of providing the business and advertisers with “more meaningful insights across cinema and outdoor”. Val Morgan marketing director Paul Butler will head the insights and analytics team, while marketing and research analyst Jo Juan Gardiner will become insights manager, announced managing director Daniel Hill. “With an ever increasing focus and need for data and insights at all levels of the business, I feel confident we are matching the expectation of the market. Alongside CineTam, DART and the recent Power of Cinema research study, Paul and his team will continue to provide insights that assist advertisers and media buyers to connect to an engaged audience,” Hill says.

Fairfax launches new mobile ad products

Fairfax Media has announced the launch of six new mobile advertising product, developed by its digital innovation services team. The six new products, developed to assist clients boost brand engagement through rich ad creative on tablet, are:

• Pannable (pans 360-degrees with back and forth motions),
• wipable (swipe first image to reveal one underneath),
• zoomable (showcases finer detail using zoom function),
• hotspotting (opens text boxes when ad image is tapped to reveal more information), and
• video commandment (a homepage unit for storytelling and branding).

The sixth product, designed for smartphones, is an adhesion banner, which stays at the base of the page as the reader scrolls.  

Free TV Australia lashes out at SBS

Free TV Australia has issued a statement warning against a proposed increase to SBS’ prime time advertising allowance to ten minutes, showing its strong concerns for the future wellbeing of the commercial television industry. “Free TV Australia stands by its analysis of the potential for SBS to increase its revenue if it is allowed to double its ad limits in prime time. SBS continues to assert that it will only gain an additional $28.5 million over four years, but there is no transparency of the revenue figures on which that claim is based,” Free TV says. “These proposed changes will allow SBS to compete directly with commercial broadcasters for prime time programming and audiences, and for prime time revenues.”