Regional TV from around $2,500 + GST a week, prime-time metro spots into the tens of thousands, and BVOD now reaching 70% of Australians. Here's what TV advertising really costs in 2026 — and when it's worth it for a small business.
According to a report by Deloitte Access Economics, commissioned by Free TV Australia, 99% of Australians can access commercial television. The industry contributes $2.5 billion to the national economy and supports more than 16,200 full-time equivalent jobs, both directly and indirectly.
Free-to-air TV audiences also spike dramatically around major events — viewership rose more than 20% during recent national crises, and live sport regularly draws audiences other channels can't touch. Businesses have a real opportunity to take advantage of a large audience, but how much does it cost to put an ad on TV in Australia?
In this article, you'll find:
- →How much it costs to advertise on TV in Australia in 2026.
- →What's changed with streaming and BVOD.
- →The factors that move the price up or down.
- →How to get started running a TV ad.
And more.
Quick Answer — TV Ad Costs in Australia at a Glance
A regional TV campaign in Australia starts from around $2,500 + GST per week. Metro markets like Sydney typically start from $5,000 + GST per week. A 30-second prime-time slot on a major network can range from a few thousand dollars to well over $50,000 just for the airtime, depending on the program.
A turnkey 15-second TV commercial production starts from around $2,500 + GST. A fully-produced 30-second commercial can run anywhere from $10,000 to $200,000 depending on scope.
| Linear & BVOD TV | Digital marketing | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Brand awareness, mass reach, emotional storytelling | Direct response, leads, bookings, measurable ROI |
| Typical entry cost | $2,500+ / week (regional) | From under $1 / day |
| Targeting | Broad demographics + program / region; BVOD adds audience targeting | Suburb, intent, keyword, behaviour, retargeting |
| Time to results | Weeks to months (compound brand lift) | Days — campaigns can drive enquiries within 24 hours |
| Measurability | Reach, frequency, BVOD impressions and completion rates | Clicks, calls, form fills, revenue attributed per channel |
| Creative cost | $2,500 – $200,000+ to produce | From a few hundred dollars for a static ad set |
The Most-Watched Free-to-Air TV Shows in Australia
The biggest TV moments in Australia are still sport and reality. According to data from OzTAM, the 2025 AFL Grand Final (Geelong v Brisbane) was the year's most-watched program, with a total TV audience of 4.19 million and a national reach of 6.4 million Australians. State of Origin Game 3 in 2025 also pulled an enormous audience, with 2.4 million people watching the match itself — and a record-breaking 978,000 of those watching via streaming on 9Now.
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The Ashes test cricket, Married at First Sight, The Block, MasterChef Australia, I'm a Celebrity, and the network news bulletins continue to anchor the biggest weekly audiences. These are the kinds of programs advertisers pay a premium to appear during. You can see the full ratings breakdown on Mediaweek.
How Much Does It Cost to Put an Ad on TV in Australia in 2026?
The average cost of a TV ad in Australia can range from a couple of thousand dollars to millions for only 15 to 40 seconds of advertising. There are many variables involved in the price of advertising on TV in Australia, including the production costs, the program you're advertising during, where and who you're targeting and more.
Many advertising agencies will combine the cost of production with air time. These packages tend to start at around $2,500 + GST a week for regional and smaller capital city campaigns, and go upwards of $11,000 + GST a week for prime-time metro coverage.
What Can Impact the Cost of TV Ads in Australia?
1. The production of the ad
The Guinness World Records awards the most expensive ad production of all times to a Chanel No.5 perfume ad directed by Baz Luhrmann. It starred Aussie actress Nicole Kidman and racked up a bill of $33 million USD.
However, you can produce an ad for a lot less. Hiring a professional TV production company will help save you time and money trying to edit your ad to fit the network's requirements. They are experts in pre-production planning, including props, locations and council permits, production to actually film, and post-production to edit and prepare the file.
Many advertising agencies will combine the cost of production with air time. These packages tend to start at around $2,500 + GST a week for a smaller capital city and go upwards of $11,000 + GST a week for a more-populated capital city.
2. What time your ad is shown on TV
It goes without saying that more people are watching TV at certain times of day than others. As a result of targeting a larger audience, you'll need to pay more. With more people watching, there is a higher chance of your target audience being engaged and watching, so there is higher competition for these time slots.
Prime time runs from 6pm to 10:30pm and attracts the largest audiences at the highest rates. Off-peak windows — daytime and late night — are significantly more affordable. Off-peak spots on multi-channel digital stations can start from as little as $10 per spot, making TV genuinely accessible at almost every budget level.
3. The program your ad is shown during
We know some TV programs draw a bigger crowd, particularly sport and news. Again, due to the higher expected viewership of these programs, there is an increased demand, and therefore price, for popular shows.
The State of Origin holds a consistently large audience of millions of people every year. As such, running an ad during these time slots is considered absolute gold as people from all walks of life from across the country tune into the games. The 2025 Origin Game 3 broadcast reached more than 2.4 million viewers — the kind of scale that's hard to buy any other way.
4. The length of your ad
Time is money. The length of your ad will impact the cost of putting it on TV. A 15-second or 30-second ad tends to be the average and most common ad length in Australia, but you may actually need both for an effective campaign.
Remember, it takes a person an average of 7 times of seeing your brand to remember you, so running your ad regularly is key. However, seeing the same ad time after time becomes more annoying than anything else.
Having both 15-second and 30-second TV ads allows you to target the same audience in the time slot with the same messaging, and not have them lose interest. It also helps you save money from not running 30-second ads in every slot.
5. The location your ad is shown in
Australian broadcasters like WIN, Prime Media and Southern Cross Austereo broadcast to regional communities via television stations. This allows advertisers to run ads to metropolitan or regional areas, as well as targeting a specific region.
Like the other points here, the smaller audiences in regional areas allow for cheaper TV advertising. As metropolitan areas run audiences into the hundreds of thousands, even millions, they will be more expensive. Again, an ad production agency will be able to guide you on how to make the best of your budget for your audience.
6. Your existing relationship with networks
Sometimes, it's not what you know but who you know — with TV advertising it can be both. When you show your loyalty to any business, they're more likely to be flexible and show their appreciation for ongoing business.
If you've been advertising on TV for a while, especially through an agency, don't be afraid to ask about possible deals when going for big events, like around Christmas or big sporting games. You may be able to receive free air time, discounts or other benefits.
It's also important you attend any TV broadcasting events, like lunches or presentations. This allows you to make connections and show your solidarity with the industry.
7. If the ad is shown during a live or recorded broadcast
Live TV refers to broadcasting being received by the audience at the same time (with small delay) as production is happening. Due to the nature of live TV, broadcasters spend a lot on advertising the event, drawing in larger audiences. As a result, live TV tends to be more expensive than recorded broadcasting.
Watchers of live TV also can't fast forward through ads like they may be able to on recorded programs. This means more eyes on screens and your business, so it may be worth investing in, if your target audience is tuning into the broadcast.
What About BVOD and Streaming?
This is the biggest shift in Australian TV since the original version of this article. People haven't stopped watching TV — they've added more screens to it.
BVOD (Broadcaster Video on Demand) is the catch-up and live streaming service offered by the free-to-air networks — 7plus, 9Now, 10 Play, ABC iview, and SBS On Demand. According to OzTAM's H2 2025 VOZ report, combined linear TV and BVOD now reaches 19.4 million Australians weekly — around 70% of the country. BVOD viewing alone grew 27% year-on-year, reaching 2.5 billion minutes per week.
For advertisers, this matters in two ways. First, you can now reach TV audiences who are watching on phones, tablets and connected TVs — not just the lounge room screen. Second, BVOD allows far more precise audience targeting than traditional broadcast, with CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) starting from around $25.
The strongest TV campaigns in 2026 use both linear and BVOD together — linear for scale, BVOD for incremental reach and targeting.
How Do You Put an Ad on TV in Australia?
There are a lot of rules and regulations around what types of ads can be shown on Australian televisions and when. You can find a full list of advertising rules for broadcasters on the ACMA website.
For first-time TV advertisers, you'll want to speak to a media agency. They will help you align with the right people to plan, produce, edit and get your TV ad on air — and ensure it meets guidelines so it can actually happen.
Australian TV commercial requirements
To have your ad be eligible to be on TV, it must meet some technical requirements. This is where a production or advertising agency comes in handy for looking after this for you. The minimum requirements for TV commercials in Australia include:
Video specifications
- →PAL 25fps.
- →Upper (top) field dominant. No mixed fields.
- →SD frame size: 720 x 576. HD frame size: 1920 x 1080.
- →Luminance scope: 0mV – 700mV +3%, 0% tolerance.
- →Black level not to drop below blanking level 0mV luma.
- →Chroma level not to exceed 100% (see OP29).
- →Ensure titles are within graphics safe area (see OP36).
- →Avoid macro-blocking, dup frames, high compression, motion jitter, aliasing, and mixed aspect ratios.
- →Minimum bitrate: 15Mbps. Bitrate >25Mbps is recommended for best video quality.
Audio specifications (OP 59)
- →Audio loudness global standard (Normalised) -24 LKFS (Loudness, K-weighted, Full Scale).
- →Measurement by ITU BS 1770 – 2&3 (standardised by the International Telecommunications Union).
- →12 frames of complete silence at the head and tail within the duration of the TVC.
Clapper
The video file should be accompanied by a clapper: a JPEG image, 720 x 576 for SD or 1920 x 1080 for HD. The clapper should contain client, product, key number, date, aspect ratio, duration, CAD number (optional), and compliance with audio loudness standards.
TV Advertising or Digital Marketing?
When someone watches your TV ad, what do you want them to do? TV advertising is very much about brand awareness, so you may or may not receive immediate action from viewers. Remember, they're watching the news, a documentary, show or movie — not looking for your services.
TV advertising can't work on its own. You need the online presence and cohesive online campaigns to align with your TV ads. If someone does remember your business when the time comes they need your product or service, you want them to be able to go online and find you. That usually means a website that loads quickly, accurate listings, and an up-to-date Google Business Profile so locals searching for your service can actually find you.
Of course, TV advertising is also expensive. When compared with being able to get online from less than $1 a day with Localsearch, it may not even compete. But it still plays its part, if you do have the budget.
