FutureToolAddressable Spot Cable TV Advertisingby Paul J. Gough The ability to target TV ads has moved from a shotgun to a rifle and finally to a laser beam approach with the promise of addressable TV advertising for the spot cable market. A deal signed last December now allows spot cable rep firm National Cable Communications to test technology from Visible World and SeaChange International. The technology gives advertisers the ability to put together different versions of commercials and deliver them to customers in different geographic zones using cable TV availability. The manufacturers say …

How a few crucial fixes can make for stronger magazines and, in turn, easier picks for print buyers.

Cross-MediaViacom Leverages Assetsby Frank Saxe, frank_saxe@yahoo.com Cross-media deals — even huge cross-media deals — are here to stay, at least according to Viacom’s new executive in charge of cross-media. “At Viacom, it’s now not a matter of if cross-platform, it’s a question of when,” says Lisa McCarthy, senior VP of Viacom Plus. Indeed, Viacom has spent billions of dollars in the past five years building a multimedia giant, capped by its June 2000 purchase of CBS, Inc. Today, it bills roughly $1 billion in cross-media sales, stretching from its TV and cable assets to outdoor and …

FutureToolGist Communications and Etronicaby Paul J. Gough A partnership between two technology firms may lead to improved set-top boxes and a new tool for advertising. Gist Communications and Etronica recently announced the deal, which would allow viewers to find specific programs on related subjects. Electronic program guides are nothing new. They’ve been available on cable for a while, often with an infomercial playing in a small window somewhere in the screen. They’re also a staple in satellite TV. In the years since the Internet gained popularity, they found their way into websites where …