tonton ceases subscription model to generate 'sustainable revenue' through digital advertising

Media Prima Television Networks' (MPTN) over the top (OTT) service, tonton, will offer Malaysians its video streaming services at no cost, ceasing its annual subscription video on demand model on 31 August 2018. This is in line with Media Prima’s group-wide business transformation strategy to increase revenue through programmatic advertising.Besides being able to generate a "sustainable revenue" through programmatic advertising, the move will also enable tonton to reach a wider audience and reduce costs by embedding the YouTube and Daily Motion video players on its web and mobile platforms, while offering users an enhanced viewing experience across all devices. The announcement comes after Media Prima announced earlier this month that it will consolidate all online video content using YouTube's Player for Publishers service.Johan Ishak (pictured), MPTN's CEO, said it decided, after a careful study, that the democratisation of tonton’s content across multiple platforms is the best strategy to unlock MPTN's full potential."It's a win-win situation for all – it will allow Media Prima to reach a wider audience while users, many of whom are already familiar with Youtube and Daily Motion, will get the opportunity to binge watch their favourite shows," Ishak said.He added that the partnership with YouTube will allow advertisers to capitalise on the popularity of tonton's content to target the right audiences while ensuring brand safety throughout the campaign.Nonetheless, Ishak said tonton will remain a "key component" of MPTN's digital transformation strategy as demand for digital content increases every month. The platform will continue to offer viewers with original content, live shows and other exclusive content, as well as organise ground activation events.