Australia’s leading content creators unite to launch The Premium Content Alliance

Australia’s leading premium content creation companies have joined together to form a new alliance that demonstrates to advertisers and marketers the strong economic and brand benefits of investing in premium, professionally produced content.

 

The Premium Content Alliance will promote the value delivered to marketers via investment in premium media through three arms – ThinkTV, ThinkPremiumDigital and ThinkNewsBrands.

The alliance’s founding stakeholders are Foxtel Group, Foxtel Media, Network 10, News Corp Australia, Nine and Seven West Media. Together, they reach four out of five adult Australians every week providing safe and trusted environments for brands.

Led by inaugural chair Michael Miller (left), executive chairman of News Corp Australasia, The Premium Content Alliance will inform, inspire and educate advertisers and their agency partners about the true value premium media delivers to brands.

Says Miller: “Media companies today are multi-media businesses, and Australian advertisers are seeking media partnerships that provide wholistic marketing solutions. Marketers require campaigns that bring together effective combinations of broadcast, digital and news media.

“This new industry alliance will provide advertisers, agencies and marketers with clear evidence of how best to use media combinations for their product or service, in a varied range of trusted media environments.

“The Premium Content Alliance will support companies to utilise trusted media and premium content to grow their reputations, customers and businesses.”

Says Kim Portrate (right), the inaugural CEO of The Premium Content Alliance: “Australia’s premium content creators have come together to protect something all Australians hold dear: professionally produced content – from news through to the entertainment programs they love – across broadcast, print and online publications.

“Ensuring the future sustainability of these treasured assets – in light of the business practices of global digital platforms – is critical today, tomorrow and into the future. It’s time to stand together to champion the value of locally produced premium content to brands.

“What we’re launching today is so much more than an organisation. We’re launching a crusade to protect something beloved by our community.”

Says Paul Anderson, Network 10 CEO and executive vice president, ViacomCBS Networks Australia & NZ: “This is an exciting time for our industry. Marketers and brands need a trusted voice when planning campaign investments. The Premium Content Alliance brings together Australia’s leading media companies to demonstrate the power trusted, proven media have in this process.”

Says Hugh Marks, CEO, Nine: “Proven media delivers results for brands. The creation of The Premium Content Alliance enables domestic publishers to speak with a united voice on the benefits for marketers and agencies in working closely with The Alliance’s members to deliver real results.”

The Premium Content Alliance builds upon the establishment of ThinkTV in 2016 which saw commercial and subscription television organisations come together for the first time to champion the ability of television advertising to grow brands and businesses. The Alliance expands on this remit to support effectiveness of advertising in premium digital and news publishing environments.

Says James Warburton, CEO, Seven West Media: “The Premium Content Alliance is a great initiative that we support. Expanding on the important work that ThinkTV has delivered, this initiative will bring this same attention to the power of premium content across proven media to grow brands and businesses, in the face of unregulated digital giants.”

Says Patrick Delany, CEO, Foxtel Group: “When Australia’s leading content owners and producers first came together in partnership under ThinkTV, it was incredible to see the size and sophistication of the audiences they drew. With the launch of The Premium Content Alliance, we are breaking new boundaries and breathing life into even more opportunities for marketers and advertisers keen to maximise engagement with the right audiences and get the most out of their investments.”

The Premium Content Alliance is the majority shareholder for three industry-focused organisations: ThinkTV, ThinkPremiumDigital and ThinkNewsBrands. The structure of the newly formed entity is:

The Premium Content Alliance
The purpose of The Premium Content Alliance is to help inform and inspire advertisers and agencies about the true value premium media delivers to their business.

The Alliance, representing five of Australia’s largest media owners, will commission research proving the value of professionally produced content and its ability to deliver positive outcomes for brands and business. The Premium Content Alliance will do this through three businesses: ThinkTV, ThinkPremiumDigital and ThinkNewsBrands.

ThinkTV
Under the umbrella of The Premium Content Alliance, ThinkTV will continue its work with world-leading academics to conduct best-in-class research showcasing the power and effectiveness of TV to deliver business outcomes.

ThinkPremiumDigital
Highlighting the unique benefits of advertising in premium video and display environments, ThinkPremiumDigital will demonstrate the power and effectiveness of advertising in premium digital content to help advertisers grow their brands and deliver business results.

ThinkNewsBrands
Existing industry body NewsMediaWorks will become ThinkNewsBrands.
ThinkNewsBrands will produce independent research to prove the power and effectiveness of advertising in premium news environments demonstrating the impact truth and trust have on consumer attention and how aligning with these attributes delivers business outcomes for advertisers and agencies.

NewsMediaWorks CEO Peter Miller will join the Premium Content Alliance in a senior strategy role. He said: “This is a great development. I’m excited to collaborate with Kim to energise the ad market’s focus on the potent value proposition of premium in any channel.”

The Readership Works (emma) will continue to function as is under the ownership of ThinkNewsBrands.

The Alliance launches today and will be followed by the development of ThinkPremiumDigital and ThinkNewsBrands with both organisations, alongside ThinkTV, scheduled to be operational by 1 July 2020.