So I did a little research and apparently a woman in the UK did exactly that – launched an advert only channel in 2004. Which seems to have disappeared with little trace and a placeholder website using her domain name.

Does that mean this is an idea with little merit? Or perhaps just that her timing was wrong … or the facts that she was under-resourced and had no television experience might have had something to do with it.

Why do I think it could be a good idea in the current environment? Because television channels are struggling to sell advertising space, devices like Tivo and MySky are making it a breeze to never watch another tv ad again … and yet there is a huge creative industry that is vested in making advertising.

Some of it now shows on YouTube of course … and the creatives get to make longer and more subtle ads in the hopes of them going viral. So perhaps there is a place to air the best of what is made – and a chance for us to view them in high-res, without waiting for endless buffering before we can appreciate the work that has gone into each one.

What I am thinking is, how many of our movie makers/directors/camera peeps etc etc got their starts making ads for the telly?? Many many I am sure, to say nothing of the employment and experience it provides for our actors who are struggling to make a living.

So if pay-TV is the model that is making money, while free to air is losing revenue on a daily basis … where to from here?

Of course, an advert only channel could also show those compilation programmes with the best of international advertising humour etc … there is plenty of scope to create interesting viewing.

Love to hear what you think- does this idea have legs in 2009??

Please comment below.

cheers

Karen