• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, January 5, 2009

A Cox unit that operates as a national rep firm for Web sites affiliated with local TV outlets has inked a deal to begin selling on behalf of the 10 ABC owned-and-operated stations.

Cox Cross Media represents some 700 sites linked with TV outlets as well as local radio stations and some newspapers. Its portfolio also includes mobile initiatives by some content providers.

On the TV side, Cross Media handles digital sales for stations that the three Cox Enterprises' TV rep firms work with. The ABC O&Os include stations in six of the top-10 DMAs. ABC Owned Television Stations Group's 10 local Web sites are: WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham, N.C., KFSN-TV Fresno, Calif., WJRT-TV Flint, Mich., and WTVG-TV Toledo, Ohio.

John Watkins, president of ABC National Television Sales, said that via "Cox Cross Media's footprint and expertise, we can offer ease of execution, making it simple to place advertising on local media sites." The group that Watkins oversees sells for the ABC stations and their sites, as well as ABC's massive video sign in Times Square. It also acts as a rep firm for out-of-home outlets, such as gas stations and taxicabs.

Cox Cross Media says its properties reach more than 45 million unique users a month.