MediaCorp launches new interactive ad portal mocca.com*. It is MediaCorp’s latest project in incorporating the functions of eBay, YouTube, Google Search and a social networking site into a single entity.

Mocca attaches technological features, such as photos, videos, peer reviews, and search engines, to traditional forms of classifieds advertising. MediaCorp synergizes the content from all their various platforms.

MediaCorp has intentionally been integrating their current platforms and expanding into the digital front. They have already started web advertising for broadcast channels and publications. The launch of Mocca.com is a stronger thrust forward.

SPH is also riding on the same wave by establishing its own integrated platform with print, radio and OOH. SPH has also been aggressive on the digital front by launching mobile and internet advertising via ZapCode, ST701 and STOMP. In the pipeline, new online search engine will be launched with the aim to replace incumbents like Google and Yahoo as the main tool in sourcing local information.

*Mocca.com= acronym for MediaCorp Online Communities and Classified Advertising

For more details, please visit:
www.mocca.com

Local dramas on Ch 8 has always been a traditional given buy in any typical TV schedule given their high ratings, therefore low Cost Per Tarp (CPT). Local varieties on the other hand, has a higher CPT and is generally selected for its contribution towards incremental reach to the plan.

Given the good ratings for key local varieties in Season 1 on Ch 8 and increase in programme cost, MediaCorp has raised the programme loadings of these varieties from 8X to 9X from July onwards. With the increase in loadings for local varieties, cost efficiency takes a dip. Comparing with local dramas, the cost increase is 50% more. Also, CPT for Local Variety has been increasing at about 5-8% every quarter.

From a ROI standpoint, the higher cost for Local Varieties may not justify its inclusion into the mix of programmes chosen in the TV plan unless it does provide a huge increase in terms of incremental reach to the plan or it can be justified from a qualitative perspective.

The new season of The English Premier League (EPL) is back and promises to be an even more exciting season than ever. Soccer remains
an important sport in Singapore and media owners are fully aware of the potential for football advertising.

Viscion Media Group, the publisher for Lexean, has decided to also jump on the bandwagon with a weekly Saturday sports newspaper titled 6YardBox. It will hit news stands from 18 August and will be priced
at $1.

6YardBox’s differentiation will be on analysis and commentary. This will be a departure from other sports titles and web sites that focus on post game coverage. The publication will cover all major football
leagues around the world.

6YardBox will appeal to a niche group consisting of soccer aficionados and soccer wagers who want the A-Zs insights pertaining to pre-match statistics, various pundit's opinions etc. StarHub BPL
on the other hand, will reach out to a broader group consisting of soccer fans:
- who have their favourite premiership teams and
- who want to be audio and visually entertained by the footballers.

Although 6YardBox and StarHub BPL reaches out to different segments of soccer fans, they could be complementary, especially with the former giving free publicity to the latter given StarHub BPL is the only TV Channel that carries live matches of BPL.

Advertisers who are targeting hardcore soccer fanatics will now have another platform to tap into, but ultimately, the survival of the title will have to lie in the strength and differentiation of its content.