
The automation of processes associated with both marketplace and traditional spot TV ad transactions has been gaining momentum, particularly when it comes to traditional deals that have typically involved significant manual effort.
The heavy focus on marketplace transactions in recent years has distracted from the fact that 93% of local TV ad transactions are still completed using traditional processes and manual workflows. While continued development of marketplace systems is incredibly important, so, too, is developing workflow process improvements for traditional deals. Automation is helping streamline the TV ad sales process from start to finish, for both traditional and marketplace transactions, digital and linear, all the way from pitch through to payment. Automation creates a more efficient and cost-effective transaction process that benefits both advertisers and broadcasters.
The following processes have presented significant challenges to broadcasters for years, involving highly manual workflows and high-touch, low-tech, back-and-forth communications. These processes often involve repetitive, tedious steps that make them time consuming and susceptible to error. They also take valuable time away from more important, revenue-generating business activities, which makes them prime candidates for automation.
The good news is that most of these automations are already available, while the remainder are coming soon.
Automated aggregation of material instructions reduces errors
Manual handling of material instructions isn't just time-consuming, it's a process that is rife with the potential for costly errors, making it an incredibly inefficient and risky process. One missed step or a single errant keystroke can create errors that incur significant costs. Automating the aggregation of new and revised material instructions from buy-side systems and agencies eliminates the need to re-key instructions multiple times, while streamlining processes to save valuable time and money. WideOrbit's Electronic Material Instructions module is available for WO Traffic and WO Network.
Creative materials import automation saves time
Auto-ingestion of creative materials into the traffic system can reduce manual effort, resulting in considerable time savings. Automated import of creative materials from third parties can also reduce data errors by eliminating the need to manually key in items, such as Ad-ID. Read our blog post to learn more about Electronic Materials for WO Traffic.
Automated order validation improves accuracy
Advertisers have unique requirements for the spots they purchase, such as desired dayparts and programming, competitor separation, and more. Automation allows for validation at the point of order entry to ensure compliance with broadcaster-defined business rules before the spot airs. Validation rules can be unique to each buyer, based on customer-specific needs in both spot placement and reporting. Automation eliminates the time-consuming process of manual validation, as well as the need to identify and correct data errors after the spot runs. WO Traffic - Order Validation is a licensed module that ensures all orders comply with broadcaster-defined business rules at the point of order entry.
Simplified makegood processes reduce costs
The process of delivering on a makegood can often take weeks or even months. Whether it's due to a pre-emption or a shortfall in ratings or impressions, an advertiser wants to negotiate a makegood that will deliver not just the right number of audience deficiency units (ADUs) but the right audience, at the right time, and during the right programming, to achieve the best result. The broadcaster must juggle the advertiser's complex needs against a limited supply of available inventory, extending the time it takes to manually find and deliver the right spot. Makegood prediction and offer tools, like WideOrbit's ADU Prediction Tool for WO Network, can make suggestions based on an automated comparison of the advertiser's needs - the right audience, at the right time, with the right programming - against available inventory. The result is a significant reduction in manual effort to save time, reduce costs, and improve advertiser satisfaction.
Maximize revenue with audience delivery optimization
Networks guarantee delivery of a set number of impressions as part of every deal. A shortfall results in financial liability that must be managed during the flight of the deal, while a surplus results in lost revenue on the impressions that exceed the guarantee - impressions for which the advertiser does not pay.
These are fundamental challenges that can be addressed with automation, as offered by the Audience Delivery Optimizer, a licensed module within WO Network. Unit placements can be automated to garner more impressions without materially sacrificing delivery of units on another deal currently running. With automation, unit placements can be efficiently optimized, resulting in deals that are far less likely to either under- or over-deliver. For networks that means reduced liability, fewer makegoods, and maximized revenue.
Airtime reporting automation improves efficiency
Media organizations spend considerable time and resources manually compiling and sending airtime reports to buyers, often multiple times per week for a single advertiser or agency. WO Airtimes generates an airtime report for each buyer or buyer group and automatically sends that report at the advertiser or agency's desired cadence, saving broadcasters considerable time while giving advertisers more timely insight into campaign performance. WO Airtimes is available with WO Traffic, WO Network, and WO Omni.
Automated accounts receivable, collections, and payment processing improves cash flow
Automating the accounting cycle reduces or eliminates a wide ra
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Thomson and the Center for News, Technology and Innovation (CNTI) convened a two-day workshop in Sarajevo bringing together more than 35 journalists, editors, p...
11/12/2025
ESPN's Aims for Spectacular With Heisman Trophy ShowEvent firsts include 1080p HDR production airing on both national broadcast and cableBy Dan Daley, Audio...
11/12/2025
SVG Students To Watch: Frankie Patton, University of ColoradoThe 2025 grad is hitting the ground running as a PA on national broadcastsBy Brandon Costa, Directo...
11/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 3By SVG Staff
Thursday, December 11, 2025 - 7:24 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The 2...
11/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: What Makes Gen Z, X, and Y Fans Tick? Dave Gavant of WSC Sports Go...
11/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: 5G, MXL, Spectrum Loss, and Outerspace on Tap for Tues...
11/12/2025
2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: David Levy, Turner Titan and Master of Al...
11/12/2025
SVG Launches Follow the Money' Podcast: Go Inside the Sports Media Biz with...
11/12/2025
A Deep Dive Inside Game Creek Video's Bird and Magic Mobile Units, Home to A...
11/12/2025
How Sound Effects for Monsters Funday Football' Emulated the Sonic Soul of ...
11/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: CSP Mobile Productions' Len Chase on Upgrading Tr...
11/12/2025
Having the right song soundtrack your moves can make all the difference when gam...
11/12/2025
It's been a big year for Taylor Swift. Her highly anticipated album The Life...
11/12/2025
New satellites for the SDA Tranche 1 Tracking program in production at L3Harris&...
11/12/2025
The Meadowlands system, a compact and mobile version of the CCS, uses ground-based radio frequency units to disrupt satellite communications....
11/12/2025
The L3Harris demonstration united tactical communications devices, counter-UAS c...
11/12/2025
Throughout 2025, L3Harris delivered innovative solutions to U.S. and allied warfighters across every domain.
With an unrelenting commitment to excellence, our...
11/12/2025
A Majority of the World's Population (51%) Identify As Soccer Fans
The 2025 MLB postseason notched 58.2 billion viewing minutes, up +24% from the prior y...
11/12/2025
WALTHAM, Mass. Video-over-IP software provider Zixi said Roi Sasson has joined the company as vice president, engineering....
11/12/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. In a move that highlights the growing competition between broadcasters and CTV platforms for local advertising, LG Ad Solutions has announ...
11/12/2025
Boston Conservatory Earns Several Best of Accolades in 2025 Highlights include a faculty Grammy win, a seventh consecutive year on Playbill's list of co...
11/12/2025
RASTATT, Germany Lawo and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) have partnered to launch the SMPTE ST 2110 Practical Lab, an immersive ...
11/12/2025
PHILADELPHIA Comcasts Xfinity operating brand has announced the launch of new national video plans with all-in pricing that the operator said will provide custo...
11/12/2025
After eight years of declines, MoffettNathansons new Cord Cutting Monitor for Q3 2025 shows that pay TV subscribers to linear TV packages rose by 303,000, the f...
11/12/2025
Happy Holidays from Berklee Enjoy this years holiday student-performance video.
December 10, 2025
By
Office of the President
Dear Berklee community,
As w...
11/12/2025
11 Dec 2025
VEON's Banglalink Receives Regulatory Approval to Launch Digita...
11/12/2025
Thursday 11 December 2025
Sky Arts paints a picture of Britain's beauty as ...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
Meet the Most Relatable Hero This Holiday: Main Trailer and Po...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
High Tides: Netflix Shares Release Date Final Season
Credit: Netflix / Thomas Nolf
Entertainment
11 December 2025
GlobalNetherlandsBelgium...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
Made in Texas: How Netflix House Dallas Is Leaving a Lasting Footprint
From left to right: America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerl...
11/12/2025
Back to All News
The Second Part of One Hundred Years of Solitude Will Arrive i...
11/12/2025
It's not every day we're asked to create a website for a classical musician!
So, we were delighted to help pianist Georgina Duncan as she embarks on he...
11/12/2025
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today announced additional programm...
11/12/2025
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Irish golfing hero Shane Lowry...
11/12/2025
RT Sport Awards 2025 live on RT One and RT Player at 8:05pm on Saturday 20 December
On Saturday 20 December live on RT One and RT Player at the earlier ti...
11/12/2025
Hunters, saddle up - adventure awaits in the cloud.
Journey into the world of M...
11/12/2025
Sash is ready to samba as Fair City star Stephanie Kelly is revealed as the late...
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
10/12/2025
Sound-Alike Commercials Are Part of Sports' Soundtrack Johnny Cash for Coca-Cola is the latest in a long litany of sonic approximationsBy Dan Daley, Audio ...
10/12/2025
Immersive Sound Is Logical Next Step for Sports VenuesSound-systems suppliers are sanguine, but the market has its challengesBy Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Wednes...
10/12/2025
The Romans Built Arenas for Immersive Sound 2,000 Years AgoThe historic Arena of Nimes in France is still in use todayBy Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Wednesday, De...
10/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Audio Workshop Hits on Immersive, Virtualized, and Next...
10/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview: Audio SpotlightBy SVG Staff
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 - 8:21 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlig...
10/12/2025
SVG Europe Audio: Listening to the sounds of powder and ice at Milano Cortina wi...
10/12/2025
Advancements in audio technology: Capturing the atmosphere of live sports By David Davies
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 09:27
Print This Story
Although wor...
10/12/2025
Everything smelled of popcorn: The art of bringing the complex sound of esports ...
10/12/2025
Top L-R: Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!, Hanging by a Wire, Broken English, Buddy
C...
10/12/2025
For the first time, Spotify is giving users the power to steer the algorithm. Gustav S derstr m, Spotify's Co-President, CPO, and CTO, shares the vision beh...
10/12/2025
L3Harris' new contract for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Insensitive ...
10/12/2025
L3Harris Meadowlands system has been designed with an open architecture software system that allows for more flexible and efficient software updates. This capab...