ITN Networks, which provides advertising inventory management software to about 1,100 broadcast stations in the U.S., says that more than half of those stations are registered for live, real time inventory updates, enhancing their ability to participate in programmatic TV buys.
Many of the stations are owned by major station groups, including Graham Media, Gray, Hearst, Hubbard, Media General, Meredith, Raycom, Scripps, Sinclair, Tegna and Tribune.
ITN says its ProVantageX platform, rolled out over the summer, can handle both demand- and supply-side programmatic sales activity for linear television. The platform hosts about 95% of stations in the U.S, reaching all 210 DMA.
The 600 stations now submitting live updates have their inventory status, availability and pricing by program, time period, and week posted within the ProVantageX cloud-based inventory marketplace.
“This is a game-changer, not just in scale but in the way it’s being used. The complexity of today’s multiplatform video ecosystem requires new kinds of campaign and inventory management tools to provide sellers with the ability to compete for every kind of ad budget, to react to demand, and best position their inventory,” said Tim Connors, CEO of ITN Networks. “The speed of station registrations has really surpassed our expectations, with nearly 500 new stations registering in just the last four months. Stations have demonstrated a real willingness to embrace the new technologies and advanced transaction models proven effective through ITN.”
Stations retain real-time control of their inventory, and can add or remove spots in specific weeks or test different price points in order to maximize yield.
The ProVantageX platform is also for use by MVPDs, networks and content owners.
