ITWire

With Yahoo's slow and steady decline, the prominence of Australian TV channel alliances with US-based Internet properties was waning somewhat, but in a surprise move (probably lacking surprise in hindsight), Channel Ten is rumoured to be seeking an alliance with Facebook.

It would be reasonable to describe Channel Ten as having appeal to a younger audience.  Well, whether they do or not, they pitch themselves that way with their rather irreverent approach to news and other supposedly serious themes along with an endless stream of chattering-class entertainment.

And it is exactly that chattering group that will be excited by the tie-up between the channel and Facebook.

With falling viewer numbers (and profits), Ten is desperate to find a way to hold on to the audience it still has - this is it!  This is a master-stroke.

Never-mind that Facebook claims 10.2M members in Australia (with more than half logging on daily) or that Facebook expects to book revenues of $50M in Australia (hmmm'¦ $5 per subscriber?) this is actually a BIG THING.

All of the commercial channels are seeking a way to engage their audience outside of the broadcast (what on earth is 'Fango' anyway?), but this is the first we've seen in Australia of an existing TV channel attempt to create a tight link with an existing social media channel.

So, all those viewer-land discussions of who is the best-looking on Big Brother or who we hate the most on Biggest Loser will now have a dedicated 'channel' on Facebook.

Let the pettiness commence.