Wan Norshira Wan Mohd Ghazali, *Hasnah Ab Kadir, Shafizan Mohamed, Nor Hafizah Abdullah, Siti Zanariah Yusoff, Nur Shakira Mohd Nasir

Abstract:

Advertising contributes to the revenues of the broadcasting industry, paving the way for a sustainable broadcast and media ecosystem. However, due to the popularity of streaming services, advertising has been siphoned from broadcasters, leaving them struggling to survive. This paper explores freeto-air (FTA) television (TV) advertising opportunities in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia. The East Coast region was an ideal location for this study due to its strong sense of community, cultural pride, and attractive identity that would offer a unique perspective on FTA TV viewing. Surveys were conducted with 403 respondents, selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure, from August to September 2023. The sample also included small-medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) to explore their interest in FTA TV advertising. The findings show that viewers in the East Coast region had favourable perceptions of the commercial breaks on FTA TV.

Keywords: Advertising, broadcasting, free-to-air channels, revenue, viewing habit