News of TopTV's supposed sales offering was first published in a newsletter (Media ShopTalk - 24 March 2011) published by media-buying group The MediaShop.
The newsletter noted that: "We have received communication from Top TV to advise that they are aiming to start selling advertising space from July 2011. They announced mid-January that they have 200 000 subscribers. 50 000 new subscribers were signed up in December and they are estimating that they have a viewership of 800 000 (average of 4 people per household). They also advised that during the course of 2011 they will be including a sports channel (by Q3), new HD Channels (Q1 2012) and an HD PVR."
Sales drive launch much later in year
Kelly says a sales drive will be launched much later in the year to ready the market for advertising opportunities on TopTV during the next financial year (most ad budgets have already been committed for the current financial year).
Asked if TopTV is communicating sufficiently clearly with the broader media industry and advertisers, Kelly insisted that TopTV had been clear that it would publicise news when it had any and that, until they had all the required elements in place, there was nothing to communicate.
Kelly did acknowledge that TopTV should have had their sales plan in place for the current financial year but said as a start-up business, TopTV faced numerous challenges and that it has chosen to invest in improving its customer service offerings first. Supply chain and billing issues had to be resolved as a priority and the management team is working hard at rectifying early errors.
TopTV is also buying new content to bump up its current offering, says Kelly, with a focus on content not yet available in the local market (ie already carried by DStv).
Critical of efforts with media buyers
Trish Guilford, associate media director at The MediaShop, was critical of TopTV's communication and education efforts with media buyers, saying she has seen little information filtering towards advertisers.
Asked on what Media ShopTalk based its original report to the industry, Guilford pointed to an email from Kelly to another MediaShop associate media director, Sean Sullivan, and sent on 11 March 2011, indicating July as a possible launch date for commercial sales. Kelly did point out in the same email that the target date of July could not yet be confirmed.
High definition (HD) television is still on the cards at TopTV but will be ready at the end of the last quarter of 2011 or possibly February 2012. The group is still investigating box sets, costings etc.
Would do well to build on interest, goodwill
While TopTV has been sending out regular announcements on its increasing subscriber numbers, it does seem to have been focused on sorting out internal issues first. This is understandable, but it also needs to recognise that the publicity around its initial success has excited the industry, and TopTV would do well to build on this interest and goodwill.
This might well require operational updates to and relationship building with key players in the media and marketing field. It takes a village - even in the media world.
