Currently in the first phase of the MediaOcean installation, ABC is using the system to receive electronic orders and revisions from GM Planworks, and to send electronic makegoods and confirmations. “It’s been a significant benefit that ABC is finally on MediaOcean using DARE,” says Kathy McCauley, senior vice president/managing director at GM Planworks. “It is so much easier to make the buys. Our goal is to process all our business electronically, so we are very pleased that ABC has added this capability.”

“It’s been a significant benefit that ABC is finally on MediaOcean using DARE.”

Kathy McCauley, senior vice president/managing director, GM Planworks

It is ABC’s first foray into the electronic data interchange (EDI) arena using the DARE transaction protocol. Previously ABC relied solely on fax and email communication with their trading partners. Their former, proprietary order processing system did not support direct communication with buyers.

“We’ve been meeting with ABC to discuss their order processing and reporting needs, and how they want to run their business using MediaOcean,” states MediaOcean planning and implementation director Barbara Potasky. “The MediaOcean system promises to enhance ABC’s business with customized reporting, more flexible workflows, and better communication with agency clients and ABC stations. Moreover, once fully implemented, the web-based MediaOcean system will provide seamless round trip eBusiness between ABC National Television Sales, the ABC stations, and their agency trading partners using the DARE protocol.”

Kristin Long, ABC National Television Sales senior vice president, has been spearheading the MediaOcean project for her company. “We are very happy to be able to help an important client, General Motors, work towards their goal of a seamless, paperless, eBusiness world. We look forward to rolling out the complete system in the next few months.”