• by Tyler Loechner  @mp_tyler, October 31, 2014

Multi Channel Network (MCN), one of Australia’s largest media advertising companies, has announced a partnership with AOL’s Adap.tv, a programmatic video ad platform, to create a private marketplace for linear TV ad buying.

MCN handles advertising for 70 cable networks in Australia, including channels from Foxtel, Fox Sports, BBC, Discovery, NBCUniversal, Fox International Channels, Viacom, Sky News and others. A full list of MCN’s network can be found here. AOL claims that MCN represents around 90% of Australis’ pay TV revenue.

“Australia is a burgeoning market that has been ahead of the programmatic trend, particularly in video,” stated Dan Ackerman, head of programmatic TV, AOL Platforms. “MCN fully understands the shift occurring in our industry and, through our partnership with them, is putting a stake in the ground as a leader in moving the TV industry forward towards its inevitable converged future with digital through data-driven audience buying.”

MCN’s Mark Frain, group sales and marketing director, noted in a statement that the company wants to be a “data-led media company,” and that the creation of a private marketplace for the data-driven trading of linear TV inventory will allow marketers to align TV and online campaigns. Marketers will be able to programmatically target their audiences through the new exchange.

While Adapt.tv will provide the underlying tech, MCN will use its Multiview data, which comes from a large TV audience measurement panel, to aid in targeting.

“More than two years of industry research and consultation tells us automation and programmatic TV are exactly what the Australian TV industry needs to stay relevant in this digitally driven environment,” stated Frain.

"Watching TV" image via Shutterstock.