The first UK internet site offering media companies the ability to
auction media opportunities to prospective buyers is to begin trading in
the new year.
Called iMediapoint.com, the site has secured promises of inventory from
the Granada Group, Flextech Television and TSMS, and talks are underway
with a number of other media owners.
Although it will not offer buyers the chance to purchase prime-time ITV,
Granada Group is planning to use the site to auction some airtime traded
by Granada Media Sales as well as smaller ticket items such as
advertising space on Granada’s hotel TV or in Little Chef
restaurants.
Flextech plans to offer a combination of traditional spot media and
new-media packages which will incorporate sponsorship and database
opportunities.
’It allows us to display our wares in a shop window,’ Tony Wheble,
Flextech’s senior vice-president for sales and commercial affairs,
said.
The business-to-business site will offer a secure trading environment in
which inventory can be placed immediately. All auctions will take place
in real time with buyer and seller notified by e-mail. It will then be
up to the buyer and seller to complete the monetary transaction.
The site is launched by Jean-Louis Velaise, who has previously managed
media properties for TV companies including FilmNet, now part of Canal
Plus. He said: ’We have set out to facilitate the sale of media. There
has been a proliferation of media opportunities, but not a parallel
explosion on the media buying side.’
Velaise consulted media companies when setting up the site to ensure it
worked in a way recognisable to anyone used to trading media.
’We feel it will allow us to generate money where there was none
before,’ Ian McCulloch, operations director at Granada Media Sales,
said. ’We can now bring more diverse things to the market.’
Media Spotlight, p30.
