• by Tyler Loechner  @mp_tyler, January 21, 2015

PubMatic, a supply-side platform (SSP), on Wednesday announced it has released an API allowing media buyers to tap into the private marketplace and “programmatic direct” supply.

The new API will launch in two phases, per a release, with private marketplace functionality being the first and “programmatic direct” the second. The ability to use PubMatic’s API to plug into private marketplaces will be available via several demand-side platforms (DSPs), including DataXu, MediaMath, SiteScout, The Trade Desk and Turn.

PubMatic says the API will allow media buyers to see inventory from all sources of supply, “including impressions that have previously been accessible only through time consuming sales calls, RFPs and media plans.”

“Although we’ve seen significant progress around the transaction of premium or guaranteed media buys, advertisers are still managing most direct buys manually,” stated Sam Cox, vice president of OPEN global media at MediaMath.

The tendency to manage nearly all direct buys manually is expected to change, however. The launch of PubMatic’s API comes on the heels of recent industry forecasts predicting that programmatic direct will account for nearly half of all programmatic ad spend by 2016.

Perhaps because of the expected shift in spend toward programmatic direct channels, Adrian Pang, senior director of product management at PubMatic, asserted that the company will be “committed” to offering programmatic direct technology to the market.