NEW YORK – April 4, 2018 – Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Cox Communications, owners of NCC Media, today announced they are creating a new division within NCC to design, deploy and sell unified advertising solutions across NCC’s participants’ national footprint. The group will use non-personally identifiable data and targeting capabilities to create advanced video advertising products that deliver greater scale, audiences and measurement to meet current and future demands of advertisers. It will launch later this year.
Comcast Media 360 (CM360), Comcast Spotlight’s former national advertising sales team, will form the foundation of the group together with resources from NCC Media, Charter Communications and Cox Communications. The group will build products that deliver targeted audiences across linear and video on demand (VOD) platforms. It will drive research, data and analytic capabilities to provide consistency in how the advertising industry measures the effectiveness of an advertisement and simplify how agencies manage campaigns.
“This new group within NCC Media has the ability to make a major impact for all players within the advertising landscape,” said Thomas M. Rutledge, Chairman and CEO, Charter Communications. “It has the power to transform the way we measure advertising effectiveness across linear and VOD through best-in-class data and technology.”
“Together with Charter, Comcast and NCC Media, we have the scale needed to provide even better value to our customers, and we are committed to defining clear standards around measurement that will help marketers better plan, buy and execute campaigns,” said Pat Esser, President of Cox Communications.
"Today's announcement is a natural extension of the great work we are already doing with Charter, Cox and NCC Media in cable advertising. Together with our partners, we have new opportunities to build advanced advertising solutions that deliver scale, consistency and reliability,” said David Watson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Comcast Cable.
Andrew Ward, who currently serves as Vice President, CM360, will head the new group as General Manager. Ward, who previously spent 15 years at NCC Media, has more than 30 years of experience bringing new advertising solutions to market. At Comcast Spotlight, he launched the company’s addressable advertising platform as well as new data and analytic capabilities.
“In today’s rapidly changing media marketplace, advertisers are looking for scale, reliability and proven results to reach audiences across devices and time,” said Ward. “Charter, Comcast, Cox and NCC Media are uniquely positioned to lead this industry evolution with integrated advertising solutions driven by non-personal data, precise audience delivery and robust performance measurement.”
Greg Schaefer, NCC Media’s President and Chief Executive Officer, who recently announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2018, added, “We are eager to bring together the people and platforms that will power this new division of NCC, and help drive the future of video advertising.”
NCC Media’s Board of Directors is spearheading the initiative, and is led by David Kline, Executive Vice President and President of Media Sales at Charter Communications, Billy Farina, Senior Vice President at Cox Media, and Marcien Jenckes, President of Advertising at Comcast Cable.
About Charter
Charter Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband communications company and the second largest cable operator in the United States. Charter provides a full range of advanced residential broadband services, including Spectrum TV™ programming, Spectrum Internet®, and Spectrum Voice®. Under the Spectrum Business® brand, Charter provides scalable, and cost-effective broadband communications solutions to small and medium sized business organizations, including Internet access, business telephone, and TV services. Through the Spectrum Enterprise brand, Charter is a national provider of scalable, fiber-based technology solutions serving many of America's largest businesses and communications service providers. Charter's advertising sales and production services are sold under the Spectrum Reach® brand. Charter's news and sports networks are operated under the Spectrum Networks brand. More information about Charter can be found at spectrum.com.
About Comcast
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the XFINITY brand. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts.
About Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet, telephone and home security and automation services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable company, Cox serves approximately 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and digital media advertising. Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in broadband, voice and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For nine years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity 12 times. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.
About NCC
NCC Media is the only multiscreen media sales company that represents video programming providers and select digital partners in every US market. Our mission is to provide national, regional and local marketers with advertising solutions that allow them reach today’s consumers in premium television programming and in targeted online content on every screen. NCC Media proudly represents every major cable, satellite and telco service provider in the country and is jointly owned by three of the nation's largest; Comcast, Spectrum, and Cox Communications. Our nationwide team of over 500 people and our commitment to constant innovation and growth make NCC Media your first and best choice for reaching connected consumers.
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