« It would be very easy for MCN to say ‘we now represent Channel 10, we’ve also got Foxtel, we’ve also got a lot of digital assets, isn’t that great?’ But, I think in the interest of the industry now, the first requirement, or need, for easy trading solutions, common data solutions are so important that we felt it was pertinent to bring all parts of television together. »

As part of its sales pitch to advertisers and agencies MCN is attempting to « redefine television » as broadcast quality content of any length across any screen or device through the web, free-to-air or cable and satellite TV. It is telling clients that Landmark will bring this together a single trading and audience targeting platform.

MCN has says it is now selling 40 per cent of its broadcast airtime through automated trading systems which target more defined audience segments, less than a year after it launched the TV industry’s first foray into so-called programmatic trading.Mr Frain said he would « be surprised » if MCN does not beat its target to increase that to 60 per cent by end of next year.

« What we’ll continually see from all players next year is the creation of new advertising models to monetise the viewing all these different screens, » said Mr Frain.

« There’s one danger and one big opportunity with targeting. With all of these increased targeting capabilities it can get challenging for an agency or advertiser to buy across all these different data sets.

« The onus is on credible data that can be applied in a mass sense, from a mass targeting perspective. When we’re talking about targeting audiences, we’re talking in the millions, it becomes a little bit irrelevant on the age and gender, it’s much more about lifestyle and disposable income levels.

« We will see improved targeting, we have to. »