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Spot Cable Takes A Major Step Forward As The Nation's MSOs Commit to 100% EDI Invoicing

MSOs Agree To June 28th Deadline In Pivotal Meeting Engineered By CAB

February 10, 2004

In a move expected to spur the growth of local, regional and national spot cable, all of the nation’s major multiple system operators have committed to 100 percent Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) invoicing capability in all DMAs by June 28th, 2004.

The agreement, which resulted from a meeting of MSO executives orchestrated by the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau, will further streamline the buying and administration of spot cable by providing advertisers and agencies with a standardized invoicing process across markets throughout the U.S.

The primary EDI invoicing system that will be adopted by MSOs was developed by National Cable Communications and is currently used by NCC for virtually all of its spot cable business. The system covers all DMAs. In addition, the CAB/MSO meeting produced an agreement that creates a universal standard for EDI invoicing at the sub-DMA level.

"With this pivotal action by MSOs to bring further standardization to buying spot cable, our industry has cleared a major hurdle in securing its fair share of the $30 billion spot TV market,” said CAB President & CEO Sean Cunningham. “Coupled with cable’s unparalleled targeting power and increasing technological sophistication at both the DMA and sub-DMA levels, the adoption of standardized invoicing procedures by MSOs will open the door to seamless use of cable by spot TV advertisers and their agencies.” Added Cunningham: “Spot cable has been the media world’s pacesetter in developing EDI capabilities designed to meet the rapidly-evolving objectives of the advertising community. This takes our clear leadership to an even higher level in fulfilling the tremendous potential of spot cable.”

Participating in the meeting were Adelphia Communications, Bresnan Communications, Bright House Networks, CableOne, Charter Communication, Comcast Communications, Cox Communications, Insight Communications, OnMedia, Rainbow Advertising Sales (Cablevision), and Time Warner Cable.

Representing virtually all MSOs and ad-supported cable networks, the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau is dedicated to supporting the growth of cable TV as an advertising medium.