The Seven Network has broken a long tradition with plans for a public unveiling of its 2012 programming and innovation strategy next Wednesday in a glitzy event TV broadcasters call the "upfronts".
In a departure from the approach of former chief sales and digital officer James Warburton – who will start as Network Ten chief executive in January - Seven West Media Group's new sales and digital boss Kurt Burnette will join Seven programming boss Tim Worner to outline the network's blueprint for 2012.
Seven hits the market every year for closed briefings with media buyers and advertisers but this time has opted to invite media to cover a staged event.
It will be the first public test for Burnette on the commercial front after taking over the role from Warburton.
Although the ad market remains volatile and short at present, TV deals being discussed for next year with major advertisers are said to be positive.
Mediabrands chairman Henry Tajer, however, warned that advertisers and media companies needed to adjust their expectations for an ad market which had changed fundamentally in its cycle.
"People know how to react to a dips and spikes," Tajer told AdNews. "But what do we do when things stay relatively flat and poor? That will really test the market."
What Burnette and Worner will unveil next week is still uncertain but Seven's ratings performance this year has been stellar, compared to its commercial rivals.
Seven's primary channel has been the least hit this year by the march of the digital multichannels – it is down 2.2%* year-to-date for all people in prime time versus a 15.2% fall for Nine's primary channel and a drop of 16.6% for Ten.
In the money demographics of people 25-54, where most TV advertising is targeted, Seven's primary channel audiences are off 0.8%, compared to 18.3% and 17.8% drops for Nine and Ten respectively.
The trendlines are similar when each of the networks combine all their free-to-air channels although Ten's results look a little healthier with its three-channel mix.
Seven is up 14% across it three brands, Nine is down 2.7% on the same basis while Ten is up 4.6%.
* OzTAM: weeks 7-38, 2011 versus same period 2010; 18:00-22:30; 5 city metro (consolidated data).
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