Nine’s second-placed breakfast show will introduce live, commercial advertorials by its new hosts, as a way to lift revenue.
A format change for the Today show was first teased on Thursday morning, with word that Tom Steinfort and Sylvia Jeffreys were in, and Sarah Abo was out.
Nine’s “New Dawn” for Today foreshadowed, “a shift in the program’s format, pace, and commercial integrations which will be unveiled at the Nine 2027 Upfront this afternoon.”
Later that day, in an annual showcase heavy on brand integrations, Steinfort and Jeffreys both took centre stage.
Nine confirmed, “Shop Today, an Australian-first content-to-commerce engine integrated into Australia’s most talked about breakfast show. Combining live, talent-led broadcast segments with digital distribution across BVOD, YouTube, and socials, Shop Today turns viewer engagement into shoppable, trackable outcomes.”
It continued, “Seamlessly integrated into the program, the format features trusted Today, Today Extra and Weekend Today personalities – including Sylvia Jeffreys, Tom Steinfort, Alison Piotrowski, David Campbell and Belinda Russell – presenting curated product reviews across high-affinity categories such as lifestyle, home, travel, and parenting.”
While Today Extra and The Morning Show have featured advertorials, just like Good Morning Australia, The Circle, Kerri-Anne and even Ernie & Denise before them, they have traditionally kept their distance from the hosts.
Nine is now signalling that is about to change, as well as expanding it to its Breakfast vehicle.
It does so at a time when Sunrise dominates the timeslot, and ABC’s News Breakfast has seen some close third place results. Is more ads the solution?
But this is the reality of revenue for Free to Air networks which already put branded content into primetime, such as Chefs Ahoy and House of Wellness or product placement via The Block, Getaway and MasterChef Australia.
70 years of Television has led to news presenters now spruiking products in 3-5 minute segments all while you are eating your cereal.
What’s next Nine, 6pm anchors too?
Cartoon: GRob!