Support for HAL Interactive, the online media transaction hub, continues to grow as United Stations has contracted to place its media offerings on HAL Interactive`s hub.
United Stations has built a strong local radio portfolio encompassing Radio Algoa, O-FM (Radio Oranje), Punt Radio Gauteng, Punt Radio Western Cape, P4 Radio KwaZulu-Natal, and P4 Radio Western Cape.
United Stations sells advertising, sponsorship and promotions for its portfolio of radio stations.
"Our main objective in teaming up with HAL Interactive is to make buying radio advertising a much easier task," says Rivak Bunce, United Stations` MD. "Media buying and planning is a very demanding job and agencies are currently feeling the effects of the drain of intellectual capital and knowledge from the industry. Planning and buying radio is far more labour-intensive than print or television, and this has been the primary reason for our decision to go with HAL Interactive.
"Agency planners and buyers are struggling with 'time poverty` and have not got the time, nor the capacity to meet regularly with media owners and representatives. Additionally, they do not have the facilities to keep all the media information on file."
Angus MacRobert, joint-acting MD of HAL Interactive, says: "We are really excited at the timing of United Station`s commitment to our media system. We have gone through a period of consolidation subsequent to Dimension Data`s investment in HAL Interactive in June 1999. We have made a substantial investment in the HAL system and are currently in the process of launching HAL Interactive version 2, an improved, robust and scalable system.
"An integral part of this upgrade is the seamless integration of HAL Interactive with the industry-standard Telmar Planning Software. This will assist users in the planning and buying process. Users can now look forward to trading with United Stations online and to securing bookings and confirming contracts in real-time, within a secure and stable technological environment. We are quite confident that HAL Interactive will soon become the industry standard for online media transactions," concludes MacRobert.
"United Stations plans to use HAL Interactive to support the ongoing dialogue between ourselves and our clients," says Bunce. "With our media information placed at the fingertips of the agency media departments, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we will use HAL Interactive to maximise the time we have in face-to-face meetings with agencies."
A further benefit to United Stations and agencies will be realised when United Stations places its African media offerings on the hub.
"Several multinationals are basing their African operations in SA, and targeting the broader continent," says Bunce. "We represent TV Africa with 40 television stations and a vast network of radio stations, which are poised for expansion and we will use the HAL Interactive hub to drive our offerings into the market. With these broadcasters having a presence on HAL Interactive, we will be able to facilitate and assist with continental media planning and to give strategic input where required."
HAL Interactive is working with several other media owners and sales organisations and will shortly introduce additional media offerings onto the hub.
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