Martino, F., Ananthapavan, J., Moodie, M., & Sacks, G. (2022). Potential financial impact on television networks of a ban on alcohol advertising during sports broadcasts in Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13223
Objective: This study aimed to assess the potential financial impacts on Australian television networks of a ban on alcohol advertising during sports broadcasts.
Methods: We analysed television advertising data from Nielsen, a commercial market research company. The data included details of all advertisements (ads) for the 10 highest-spending alcohol brands on free-to-air television networks in the five largest capital cities in Australia over a 12-month period (November 2018–October 2019). We estimated alcohol advertising spend during sports broadcasts. Financial value per network was estimated using ad duration and total spend per channel.
Results: There were 10,660 alcohol ads (average of 75 minutes per week) shown during sports broadcasts, amounting to A$14.4 million in revenue to television networks. Forty-five per cent of these ads were at children’s viewing times. Channel Seven received the largest amount of alcohol advertising revenue (A$20.8 million), of which A$10.8 million (52.0%) was during sports broadcasts (0.5% of its total advertising revenue).
Conclusions: Alcohol advertising during sports broadcasts is pervasive but contributes a relatively small proportion of revenue for television networks.
Implications for public health: A ban on alcohol advertising during sport broadcasts is unlikely to have major financial impacts on broadcasters, whilst the health and social benefits are potentially substantial.
Link to the full article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1753-6405.13223#.YiFQMlTJXGo.twitter.