Macquarie Media has revealed it will now be offering advertisers video live reads as part of its new strategy to increase digital advertising revenue across its radio assets.
Video live reads, which were announced at the company's recent 'Big 6' event, will work in a similar fashion to the current radio version, where a show's host will announce the product and brand during a segment, however the new offering will see Macquarie Media personalities do the same but in a video format.
Hosts including Alan Jones, Steve Price and Ray Hadley will all appear in 15 or 30 seconds, TVC-like ads which will then be placed throughout the online platforms for 2GB, 4BC and Macquarie Sports Radio.
"We know how much brands love that close link between our hosts and their product and this will just take it to a whole new level of engagement," Macquarie Media CEO Adam Lang told AdNews.
"A driver behind this is because of what we've seen in recent years, which is a very large growth of the amount of content that's consumed outside the live broadcast."
Lang says an increasingly large amount of listeners are engaging with Macquarie Media's programs and platforms in a "timeshifted capacity", meaning more of the audience is looking for content after programs have ended.
"The video live reads is an idea that we've developed for both our presenters and our clients so it's really a reflection of how our audience is consuming our media and what we're really good at," he says.
"We know that over time there has been growth in that consumption and so fitting those two things together, the value of live reads and knowing that time-shifted consumption is very large."
Not mentioned at the event was the impending Nine/Fairfax mega-merger, which will see the new Nine Entertainment take control of the majority stake in Macquarie Media, currently owned by Fairfax.
When asked if the business had made plans to prepare for the merger, which is still awaiting ACCC approval, Lang said it was business as usual, with the company focused on providing customer service, as well as regular programming right up until Christmas.
"You've got to keep running a really good business no matter what. We aren't losing focus on that and we know that over time, pending regulatory approval, we will engage with Nine," Lang says.
"At times like this it is only about your customer service to your audience, your customer service to your advertising clients and your customer service to your staff, the won't change."
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.