Joshua Frith, managing director of @www Australia, recently contacted IBEWeb with the following announcement:

"There have been few recent significant milestones in the history of TV broadcasting; the advent of colour and the launch of the digital era probably resonate with most as truly momentous, along with the start of satellite broadcasting.

"However, a new milestone is about to be placed in the annals of TV in Australia because, for the first time ever (according to Nielson data) weekly online viewing has surpassed TV viewing. The research shows that, on average, viewers are online for 13.7 hours per week compared to 13.3 hour watching television.

"These figures are not a blip, a passing phase, an anomaly; indeed, they represent a major shift in the behaviour of those watching traditional TV content. The reduction in the number of hours watching TV looks set to decrease as the behaviour patterns of viewers radically changes in favour of online.

"This is sending shock waves through media companies in Australia as they all have to adjust their strategic plans to serve the needs of their clients in a rapidly evolving media environment. Whilst, to some, the notion that Australia has reached this milestone so ahead of other Western nations may come as a surprise, to us it is anything but. We are a nation that has adopted new technology very fast, our young population is computer literature, and our active and outdoor lifestyle means we are often away from our TVs for long periods.

"The research has hit terrestrial broadcasters who are now scrambling for a solution to their dwindling market share and inevitable reduction in advertising revenues. Yet no one in their industry is very surprised; it has long been predicted, but the solution seems slightly more elusive.

"However, more significant than the reduction in traditional habits is the ascent of online viewing and its impact on the business end of broadcasting. For too long, the business platform from which online broadcasting operates has lacked the clout, confidence and skills sets required to propel it to its rightful place on the top table.

"Hopefully the recent figures will spearhead a new confidence and counteract the other aforementioned afflictions. Indeed, certain elements of online media have already been creating new revenue streams which transcend all delivery platforms. Programme Patronage, for instance, whereby relevant partners are brought into the production of a programme at an early developmental stage, along with their budgets, to create content that benefits all parties - the broadcaster and the advertiser. An example in Australia is when a wildlife documentary was seeking funding it approached a region of Australia famous for its flora and fauna and signed its tourist board up as patrons to the programme, working with it throughout the filming and editing stage to create a mutually beneficial programme. This whole process is much easier for providers of online content which is not as hamstrung by regulations as main stream TV has become."