Cyclical Blip or Structural Change? The Future of Advertising Funded TV March 21, 2007

Part of the series of Oxford Media and Communications Seminars will be led by Dr. David Levy, Associate Fellow in Media and Communications. "Their aim is to join up the worlds of policymakers, regulators and academia to tackle some of the most difficult regulatory, business and strategic challenges facing the sector."

"There is a lively dispute about the future of advertising funded TV. Some argue that decline is structural and inevitable, with multichannel choice fragmenting audiences, the internet diluting the dominance of TV viewing and advertising, and new technologies such as PVRs leading to viewers skipping rather than sitting through the ads. But others argue that the current problems are largely cyclical, with network channels still commanding a substantial premium, limited advertising elasticity, and live TV viewing -
including the ads - being the norm rather than the exception. Meanwhile the recent interest in bidding for ITV suggest that there is still a viable and attractive business model. So how does all this stack up. What's the truth about the prospects for advertising funded TV?

The Seminar will consist of two sessions:

Session 1: The impact of changing technology, consumer behaviour & the search for new revenue streams

Session 2: Contrasting Views of the Long Term Prospects for TV Advertising"

Official Website: http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/events/David%2BLevy%2B1.htm