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TEN to part from MCN sales deal

Under CBS, Network TEN will return to an internal sales dept. headed by Rod Prosser.

TEN is to exit its advertising sales partnership with Multi Channel Network to set up a new internal sales department with Rod Prosser in the role of Chief Sales Officer.

The shift is understood to be in response to CBS wanting control of its own advertising trading.

MCN, majority-owned by News Corp, also represents Foxtel advertising and was recently headed by Anthony Fitzgerald, succeeded by Mark Frain. Around 120 of TEN’s 150-strong sales staff moved to Multi Channel Network two years ago under then-CEO Hamish McLennan and chief sales officer Louise Barrett.

TEN CEO Paul Anderson said, “Today is a significant day in Network TEN’s history, as we continue to build and invest in our business.

“Under new ownership, we are making a strategic shift in Sales to more closely align with CBS across all platforms. Our priority is to monetise our premium video content to accommodate changing viewing habits and provide measurable and transparent value for our clients. Controlling the selling function in-house is the best way to achieve that.

“CBS has solutions, experience and systems in many key sales areas, including data, addressable advertising and dynamic trading. TEN’s new Sales platform will fully leverage the expertise of CBS.
“MCN has been a valuable and important partner to Network TEN over the past three years. Together we have achieved some great results and introduced many industry-leading initiatives. I would like to thank everyone at MCN for their contribution to our business,” he said.

“As we’ve said since the announcement of the acquisition, we see many ways for CBS and TEN to work together to help grow their business,” said Armando Nuñez, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Studios International. “We look forward to integrating infrastructure, technology and other CBS resources to enhance TEN’s new sales operation and bring value to Australian advertisers and brands.”

The Network TEN Sales department will include a new digital unit, TEN Interactive, underpinned by CBS Interactive’s global technology platform, as well as a new commercial, strategy and integration team. It will also launch a new automated trading platform, TEN Exchange.

Rod Prosser, currently TEN’s Executive General Manager, Revenue and Client Partnerships, will report to CEO Paul Anderson.

MCN will continue to receive sales bookings for TEN until the end of 2018.

7 Responses

  1. Hopefully 10 understand their audience better than MCN. MCN have a habit of just pushing advertising in inappropriate places regardless of the audience. Just because a client wants to push their ad in every single tv show regardless of who is watching, doesn’t mean you should, thats just a waste of money. If 10 control it then hopefully their target sales will hit the right spot for consumers. Nothing more frustrating than watching funeral insurance ads during teenage viewing time.

  2. Time will tell if this is a smart move or not. A big mistake many businesses make is assuming what works locally (in CBS case the US) works the same overseas.

  3. Great to hear. Any word then if Rod will return to Sydney (wasn’t there big hoo ha about him shifting to Melbourne about a year ago)? Anyway hope he’s celebrating with the team down there for the terrific MasterChef results this year 🙂

  4. Sounds to me like CBS are increasing advertising revenue by showing more ads, how FTA viewers will react if their favourite shows are more interrupted and more commercial product placements are seen in TEN’s local content shows, only time will tell.

      1. TEN’s guidelines state for 30-Minute domestic programs:
        • 4 segments/3 breaks
        • Total duration: 21:30 minutes (min/max = 30 sec under/over)
        The 3 breaks (max total 8-minutes of ads) can be divided up how they wish, e.g. 2/4/2.

    1. Disagree. Why pay a company to do it when you can do it yourself. Cuts costs and you control your own destiny. Sometimes outsourcing is just fool hardy.

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