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
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
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...
31/05/2026
Olivia P rez-Collellmir to Premiere Original Work at Gaud Centennial in Barcelona The Berklee graduate and faculty member will debut her choral symphony with...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
Latino Film Institute Fellows Screen Their Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre
The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 15 ...
29/05/2026
GLOOKAST LAUNCHES CINNAFILM TACHYON PLUGIN FOR MEDIA PRODUCER AND MEDIA SERVICES
This release first appeared here.
Visit our Tachyon product page or contact...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
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.
