Local TV Seeks Ways to Play to Its Strengths

26/06/2017

Why This Matters Automation must be paired with the personal touch to make programmatic advertising work for local stations.

Related: Dish Dives Into Auctions to Sell OTT Sling Spots

The industry is taking its time weighing the positives of automated advertising, and local TV has to fully buy into the form. That will require finding a way to leverage local media's key advantage - relationship building - while recognizing the benefits of technology (read: data), according to a panel of industry insiders.

On the local marketplace, to be successful, you have to have automation, you have to have people that interchange with machines, said Brendan Condon, CEO of AdMore, explaining that automated platforms provide advertisers channels to audiences they don't reach via conventional means.

Condon's comments were part of a panel discussion at the Programmatic Summit, held June 13 in New York as part of B&C and Multichannel News' VidWeek, during which participants took a big-picture look at local TV, and how automated advertising could benefit the industry.

Participants agreed that automated advertising is an inevitability - and ultimately a benefit - for local TV, which, in some ways, is lagging behind other mediums in rolling out the platform.

There are reasons for that: local TV sales is rooted in conventions such as relationships and community-building, and to add technology that could potentially dilute this plus would be detrimental to the industry, panelists said.

The smaller buyers, the more local buyers are going to need the help of that local linear broadcaster. That's their hometown, Mark Gorman, CEO of Matrix Solutions, said. In that sense, the local folks do have an advantage.

Gorman added that it behooves local broadcasters to integrate automation in a way that allows them to leverage the benefits - giving national advertisers the ability to target viewers, for instance - while maintaining conventional methods that work.

It's both local people as well as technology, Gorman said. You can't do this without people.

David Kline, president of ad sales of Spectrum Reach, the ad-sales arm of Charter Communications, said local TV has another key bragging right: reach. Digital leaders such as Facebook and Google are, indeed, formidable competitors, he said.

However, Kline believes that over the next three years or so, broadcasters, cable networks and pay TV distributors will more aggressively cooperate to illustrate we have the best data and the best video.

Building a Better Mousetrap

Broadcast is going to get there, he said. The more that we, the broadcast and television platform, can show value with video, data and all the things we have to offer, we have a better mousetrap than some of the other ad tech players.

Yet, for all the promise of technology, benefits of data and intricacies of measuring what does and doesn't work, the key for local TV's success still boils down to delivering on your promise to advertisers by backing it all up.

Related: Following the Road Map to Programmatic TV's Future

Doing that is incredibly simple for some advertisers, Tribune Broadcasting chief revenue officer Angela Betasso said. Some of our inventory will be bought without demands. Just that it runs, she said. The deliver is that it aired.

But it's no secret that most local advertisers are less interested in data, stats and audience measurement than they are in their ultimate goal: boosting traffic, panelists said.

What they do know is when they get more foot traffic that comes into their stores and buy, said Mark Lieberman, CEO of Viamedia. That's where the rubber is going to meet the road.

LINK:	http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/local-tv-seeks-ways-pla...
	See more stories from bandc

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

18/03/2026

Net Insight Names Larissa GrnerMeeus CPO

Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4. Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...

18/03/2026

SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026: Select Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAY

SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...

18/03/2026

SVG's SportsTech@NABShow Blog Goes Live as Countdown to Vegas Heats Up

The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...

18/03/2026

The Premiere of Dead Lover Showcases Grave Robbing and Sex With a Giant Finger

(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...

18/03/2026

Music Row Piano from Wiltone Productions

Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...

18/03/2026

Techivation introduce T-Warmer Mk2

Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...

18/03/2026

Tonal Balance Control 3 from iZotope

Mix-reference plug-in overhauled iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...

18/03/2026

Toontrack Transistor Organ EKX

Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...

18/03/2026

Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture

Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture 18 March, 2026 Media releases New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...

18/03/2026

Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz at NAB 2026

Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...

18/03/2026

LCTWS 2026

London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...

18/03/2026

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...

18/03/2026

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...

18/03/2026