Marketron Invests in Next Generation Technology Foundation for Media Organizations

HAILEY, Idaho, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Marketron, the leading provider of business software solutions and services for the media industry, today announces a significant investment in its customers and future with the unveiling of Mediascape. Mediascape combines an essential infrastructure and suite of services that is provided on an integrated and open technology platform now easily available to all media organizations. The Mediascape program sets a new standard for the media industry and ensures that all Marketron customers are equipped to leverage highly engaged local audiences and effectively compete for new and emerging advertising dollars. Mediascape is available to media organizations of all sizes, improves the sector's overall performance and attracts accretive ad spend to the industry. By removing the technology and economic obstacles, Mediascape customers can focus on their brand, market differentiation and execution strategies to capitalize on their share of new advertising spend.

"Over the past year, our relationship with Marketron has evolved from being just another traffic software provider to a strategic partnership aligned with Emmis' long term business objectives. Marketron now plays a critical role in the joint development of our Customer Relationship Management solution, which will be a first for our industry," said Patrick Walsh, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Emmis Communications. "As Emmis continues to seek out ways to use technology to improve our sales process and customer engagement, we look to Marketron. Mediascape is a natural evolution in Marketron's commitment to a broadcaster's financial ecosystem that will strengthen our business and our industry," added Walsh.

As the market leader that understands that its success depends on its customers' success, Marketron has made an unprecedented investment with the goal of making the media industry more competitive. The open ecosystem platform provides media organizations with choice and seamless integration with industry partners and service providers. Following are highlights of the Mediascape program:

• Mediascape Platform: The foundation that media organizations need to succeed in today's new landscape, including Exchange for connectivity, messaging and integration; Data Management to solve the master data management dilemma and enable a 360 degree view across multiple systems; Digital to enable the complete lifecycle of all digital/ NTR; and Mobile to engage listeners and make radio more interactive. This is the first open, ecosystem platform that provides the key elements necessary for media organizations to consistently drive higher performance.
• Mediascape Services: Services enabled by the Mediascape Platform are focused on increasing revenues, improving operational efficiencies and reducing costs, making radio more profitable. Mediascape Services available today include: Mobile Advertising, Network Connect, Media Connect, Electronic Orders & Invoices, Proof of Performance and Third Party Integrations, followed by Media Relationship Management, Dynamic Analytics and Revenue Management later this year. Marketron and its partners will continue to innovative, delivering best-in-class services that drive significant value for our customers.
• Mediascape Traffic: Next generation traffic service architected from the ground up using the latest and most advanced technologies, delivered in a Software as a Service (SaaS) model to be accessible anytime, anywhere and eliminate costly IT infrastructure and hardware. The solution will bring together the best of Marketron's current traffic systems and forty-plus years of experience developing and supporting traffic systems to deliver a robust, highly configurable solution meeting the needs of both small and large radio organizations. Mediascape Traffic will support all operating modes from centralized to regional to distributed as well as mixed mode operations.
• Mediascape Economic Model: This investment by Marketron addresses the financial barriers that have kept media companies from aggressively adopting new high growth digital strategies, under a technology model that is now open, scalable and affordable.

"Beasley is very excited to be an early participant in Marketron's Mediascape. What we find most attractive is the openness, efficiency and opportunity this solution delivers to our operations as well as the wide variety of innovative services it offers to our stations and corporate office," said Caroline Beasley, EVP/Chief Financial Officer of Beasley Broadcast Group.

"Mediascape is a tremendous opportunity for our customers and our industry. Today marks a new challenge for technology providers in media. Proprietary systems based solely on a traffic platform architecture are no longer sustainable or competitive," said Steven Minisini, Chief Executive Officer of Marketron. "There is a new world order of open standards that requires innovation which should not be limited to any one provider. The disparity between what advertisers now expect and what most radio organizations can deliver has finally been addressed. This is what Mediascape is all about," added Minisini.

Marketron is in a unique position in the industry with 80% of the U.S. radio advertising spend flowing through Marketron systems. Mediascape is an investment in Marketron's customers, the overall sector, and the future of the media industry. It will become the critical sales and operating infrastructure for media organizations of tomorrow.

For more information on Mediascape and how Marketron is helping media companies and the radio industry at large protect their market share and showcase their value in order to attract more of the $131.1 billion currently spent on advertising, please visit www.marketron.com/mediascape.php.

About Marketron

Marketron is the leading provider of business software solutions and services for the media industry. The Marketron Mediascape Platform, Traffic and Suite of Services drive innovation to create new growth opportunities that produce the maximum value for our clients and facilitate their evolution into digital. Relied on by more than 7,000 media organizations, Marketron solutions are the most widely-used media solutions in the world, managing an estimated $15 billion dollars of annual advertising revenue. Marketron is an affiliate of The Wicks Group of Companies, LLC of New York, which specializes in communications, information and media businesses.

Contact:
Julian McBride
Horn Group for Marketron
646-202-9755
[email protected]

SOURCE Marketron