• by Tyler Loechner  @mp_tyler, September 24, 2014

Wenner Media, publisher of Rolling Stone, Us Weekly and Men’s Journal, this week announced a partnership with iSocket, a “programmatic direct” ad platform. “Programmatic direct” is a mixture of direct and automated sales practices: buyers and sellers flesh out ad deals directly with one another and then carry out the campaign via automation.

“We see direct order automation as a key component of the reserved media sales business,” stated Michael Persaud, director of programmatic advertising at Wenner Media. “It complements the programmatic segment of the business, as well as introducing efficiency to the traditional side of the business.”

Wenner is not the only big media company to turn to “programmatic direct” technology to balance between direct sales and full-blown automation. Other iSocket clients include Reuters, Forbes, Condé Nast and Time Warner, the latter two of which are investors in iSocket.

“We are pleased to be working with Wenner Media,” stated Steve Roach, VP of publisher sales at iSocket. “Not only are they well-known and highly sought-after media brand, they are savvy and forward-thinking when it comes to automation.”