subject: Trai Proposes To Cut Ad Time [print this page] TV channels are quite uncomfortable as TRAI puts forward a proposal to cut down on the airtime commercial on the different channels. TRAI proposes to regulate the duration of ads, frequency and the timing of ads in between programmes. While broadcasters are unhappy about the proposal, TRAI says that they do not follow the existing ad rules and regulations. While free to air channels can only place 12 minutes of ad time including 2 minutes of self promotion. Pay channels should only carry ads for 6 minutes. This is not followed by the broadcasters, and they put almost 4 minutes of ads in each break, and in a programme of half an hour there are 3 breaks, making it about 24 minutes in an hour.
Problems for advertisers
This proposal of TRAI will not only vex the channels but it will also pose as a threat to advertisers. There will creep in a number of problems for them:
Ad time crunches: With TRAI proposing for shorter ad times, even if an advertiser is willing to pay high rates there are chances that there will be high competition because of the time crunches.
Tougher competition: Advertisers with a relatively lower budget may face tough competition with huge advertisers. Since time will be less it will be difficult to squeeze in a number of ads, and so channels will charge more.
High ad rates: Already there have been talks that SET Max has shot up their prices of airtime for the fifth session of the IPL. If airtime of ads is reduced this will put a bigger impact on the ad rates and they will shoot up even more. As Ms Jain of Vivaki says, Channels will want to make up for money lost due to reduced air time. But to raise rates, one will need to have commensurate increase in ratings.
It will get difficult to push in ads in the break time of most popular programmes on TV. Thus to squeeze in ads at a time when viewership is maximum is getting tough with the proposal by TRAI.
Video message: the new advertising medium
The happening thing is video message. People of all age, all around the globe are using video message. Video message is a technology by which anyone can send and receive video content in the form of an SMS (video SMS) or video mail.
How will it be beneficial for advertisers?
Cheaper than any other medium: Advertisers can push in the ads along with the messages that people send to their friends and family. Advertising with video message will be inexpensive than advertising on television.
Reach the focussed target audience: Unlike television or newspaper, where advertisers are not aware of actually how many people the ad has reached to, through video message this tracking is possible. There are no assumptions here and advertisers can get the exact figures. Advertisers can also choose a particular target audience and also the time of sending the ads in the messages.
