- NCC Partners with DIRECTV to Integrate Regional Sports Offerings and Sales Efforts
NEW YORK (August 18, 2008) ---NCC, the nation's largest spot cable sales organization, has announced a breakthrough ad sales and technology partnership with DIRECTV, America's leading satellite television service provider. Under the agreement, NCC will integrate select regional sports network feeds, currently offered to DIRECTV customers, into cable advertising interconnects in nine major US markets. NCC will also assume national spot sales representation of DIRECTV's Regional Sports Networks in these markets. The partnership was announced on today by NCC President Greg Schaefer and DIRECTV Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales, Bob Riordan.
"This is terrific news for both local and national advertisers. Combining DIRECTV 's audience with our cable interconnects expands our reach and strengthens our targeted offering," said Schaefer about the new partnership. "And ad agencies benefit from the single point of contact we will provide both locally and nationally. Combining wired cable with satellite is a major breakthrough for the advertising industry," he added.
Riordan commented, "The ability to leverage DIRECTV's leadership position in sports programming with NCC's regional and local sales expertise creates an exciting partnership and onestop shop for advertisers. Working with NCC will give us an opportunity to expand our product offering beyond a national platform and give our advertising partners even more choices to reach their target market in a simple and seamless manner."
Cable Multi-system Operator (MSO) sales and operations leaders worked diligently with NCC and DIRECTV to establish the new paradigm in this cable/ satellite ad sales cooperation. Participating markets include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
"Cable operators have made many advancements in working with NCC to offer truly effective planning and buying for advertisers who want to reach cable's ever-growing audience" said Charlie Thurston, President of Comcast Spotlight, who played a key role in the development of the new partnership. "And this ground-breaking announcement with DIRECTV signifies another major step forward in media sales."
- COMCAST SPOTLIGHT RESTRUCTURES NORTHCENTRAL DIVISION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Wellesley, MA August 18, 2008)
Roland Trombley, Divisional Vice President/NorthCentral division Comcast Spotlight, announced today the promotion of Stephen D. Flaim to Regional Vice President of Comcast Spotlight New England.
Flaim formerly held the position of Vice President General Manager of Comcast Spotlight Boston.
In this new role, Flaim will be responsible for leading the local, regional and national sales teams in the markets of Boston, Hartford/New Haven and Providence. The sales teams in these markets offer a full suite of advertising opportunities on television, on-line and on Video-on-Demand.
"Since joining our company in 2002, Stephen has done an exceptional job in building the sales team and leading Boston to record growth performance," said Trombley. "With his leadership, we will continue to deploy new products, increase market segmentation capabilities, and focus on our customer's needs."
"As a division of Comcast, only Comcast Spotlight can offer our advertisers the most effective, integrated and customized marketing solutions available," said Flaim. "I am excited to lead our team as they present these multi-media opportunities to our customers."
Flaim's previous experience includes over 18 years in Boston's media community holding various sales and sales management positions in broadcast television.
He resides in Pembroke, MA with his wife Karen, and their three sons, Brandon, Trevor, and Nicholas.
About Comcast Spotlight
Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps put the power of cable to use for local, regional and national advertisers. It is focused on moving the industry forward in advanced technologies and innovative products to reach audiences most effectively and efficiently. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Comcast Spotlight has a presence in nearly 90 markets with approximately 30 million owned and represented subscribers. Comcast Spotlight is a trademark of Comcast Cable. For more information, visit www.comcastspotlight.com.
Media contact:
Kathy Taraschi
Marketing Manager
Comcast Spotlight
781-416-0120
Kathy_Taraschi@cable.comcast.com
- COMCAST SPOTLIGHT PROMOTES TWO TECHNOLOGY AND OPERATIONS EXECUTIVES
NEW YORK-July 14, 2008-Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services, today announced that it has promoted Adam LaRose to Vice President, Technology and Operations, and Rob Klippel to Vice President, Technical Operations and Advanced Advertising Trials.
LaRose, who previously served as Vice President, Operations, will oversee the management of Comcast Spotlight's technology platform and vendors and will serve as the primary liaison to Comcast Cable's National Engineering and Technical Operations team. He also will be responsible for leading Comcast Spotlight's technology strategy for the deployment of new advertising solutions.
A 25-year cable industry veteran, LaRose joined Comcast in 1992, moving to its advertising sales division in 2000. He previously served as Vice President of Operations, with responsibility for the technical and operational integration of advanced advertising products, including addressable advertising, enhanced TV and video on demand.
Klippel, who previously served as Vice President, Operations, will work with Comcast Spotlight's divisional operations teams to ensure the deployment of advanced advertising solutions and to identify best practices that will improve efficiency and effectiveness across the company's footprint. He also will assume oversight of advertising solution trials and the management of product engineering initiatives. He will report to LaRose.
Klippel joined Comcast Spotlight in 2004 as Vice President, Operations. He previously held management positions with Adelphia, MediaOne, Deloitte and Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).
"Adam and Rob are talented, experienced professionals, and their leadership will help us optimize our advertising operations by deploying new technology to support our clients' evolving needs," said Steve Feingold, Senior Vice President, Operations and Strategic Planning for Comcast Spotlight. "They have been valued members of our organization, and will continue to ensure that Comcast Spotlight maintains its leadership position in an increasingly competitive environment."
About Comcast Spotlight
Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps put the power of cable to use for local, regional and national advertisers. It is focused on providing multi-platform marketing solutions to reach audiences most effectively and efficiently. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Comcast Spotlight has a presence in nearly 90 markets with approximately 30 million owned and represented subscribers. Comcast Spotlight is a trademark of Comcast Cable. For more information, visit www.comcastspotlight.com.
- COMCAST SPOTLIGHT PROMOTES LUCETTE MERCER TO VICE PRESIDENT, SALES RESEARCH
NEW YORK - July 14, 2008 - Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services, announced today that it has promoted Lucette Mercer to Vice President, Sales Research.
In her new role, Mercer will be responsible for overseeing the company's research initiatives. She will lead the development of a business unit providing Comcast Spotlight research teams with presentation, resource and tool optimization as well as customizable training materials designed to increase the level of expertise among the company's research departments and significantly improve the support provided to its sales teams. In her new role, she will be based in the company's Denver office and will report to Hank Oster, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Comcast Spotlight
"Comcast Spotlight is now an integral part of the television advertising marketplace, providing multi-platform marketing solutions for advertisers," said Oster. "Lucette's outstanding leadership, her knowledge of our platforms and products and her deep understanding of the sales research needs of our national and field sales force make her uniquely qualified to lead this effort."
Mercer joined
