Now the whole process can be completed in minutes

They are more demanding and want to see those rights ully exploited Distributors ha e had to smarten up their act. New players ha e entered the game, pro iding use ul competition or the established broadcaster-owned operators.The days when a broadcaster could simply swallow up all the rights almost or nothing, and then sit on them, are hope ully a thing o the past. Increasingly good ratings here are seen as proo that a show will be a hit abroad. The new terms o trade ha e undoubtedly helped to create the right kind o climate. American broadcasters relied on the British or hal o their top 12 entertainment hits last year, with shows as di erse as American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Wi e Swap and Supernanny No wonder UK ormat sales are up 60 per cent.

Success breeds success, and I'm con inced that it can go much urther than this. This is great news or the industry and, ultimately, or the iewer. Export igures released by the Department or Culture, Media and Sport last week showed a rise o 21 per cent, up to ?632m - ?100m more than last year. There will be more creati e opportunities, because we're not so set in stone."The new system is more cost e ecti e at around hal the price o old methods o deli ery. E ery ad ertisement that is deli ered using the digital technology is quality checked or colour and sound.. The dramatic increase in programme sales rom the UK into oreign markets is a sign that the British tele ision industry is in good creati e health. I you can deli er ad erts instantaneously that's a huge time sa ing."Clients o ten want to react quickly to things, or example a haircare product which has won an award It means you can make and deli er these commercials on time.

Now, the whole process can be completed in minutes.Da id Haynes, the chairman o International Media Distribution, who ounded the company nine years ago with Charles Dunstone, the chie executi e o Carphone Warehouse, said: "Broadcasters want the ability to switch ad erts at a moment's notice. In the old days, i a tele ision group wanted to change its ad ertising, it would take a minimum o two days. Now it takes minutes."He added: "It makes much more sophisticated ad ertising possible. Complexity is ery important nowadays, because consumers ha e the ability to zip through ads."In sporting e ents, the winning kick could be on air within minutes o the game."Charlotte Robinson, head o tele ision administration at the Saatchi & Saatchi ad ertising agency, said: "Agencies ha e less time to make commercials these days. Or iewers could interact with an ad ert, or example using red button technology to decide whether an updated ersion o the Nesca ?old Blend couple end up together or not.It is part o an aggressi e mo e by the tele ision industry to combat the threat to traditional ad ertising rom the internet and other new technologies.International Media Distribution, the company that has pioneered digital distribution in ad ertising, announced last week that ollowing the deal with IT , it can now deli er commercials to all the major broadcasters in the UK and the Republic o Ireland.Until recently, ad ertisements were either deli ered ia a playout system, a high-speed phoneline which only operated at three ixed times each week, or on a tape by motorcycle courier, a method open to human error.As a result, it could take up to a week between a commercial lea ing an agency and being broadcast. The winning goal in a World Cup match could be inserted into a tele ision commercial within minutes o the inal whistle thanks to a re olution in the way ad ertisements are produced. IT is the latest broadcaster to sign up to a new system that dramatically cuts the time it takes between the inishing touches being put to an ad ert and it being shown on air. With the ad ent o personal ideo recorders, enabling iewers to ast orward through ad ertising breaks, ad ertisers are under pressure to ind more e ecti e ways o gripping their audience.I there is a good weather orecast, a clothing retailer could switch its tele ision ad ertising campaign to promote swimwear.