RAB, Ad Industry Develops EDI

RAB has cracked the standard file format barrier. An RAB task force dedicated to establishing a standard file format so that members can exchange electronic data easier says it now has such a format ready. Members can gain access to the file format, known as EDI, on the RAB Web site:www.rab.com.
Following more than a year of work, the industry-wide EDI Task Force agreed on a standard file format to allow the electronic exchange of data between advertisers, advertising agencies, national representatives and radio stations. The format will allow electronic exchange of avail requests, avail submissions, orders, offers, invoicing, discrepancy reports, and broadcast instructions.
The File Format evolved from discussions with the American Association of Advertising Agencies and with input from the following radio industry vendors: Adware, Arbitron/Tapscan, Audio Audit, BuyMedia/Marketron, Cam Systems, Datatech, Donovan Data Systems/Media Ocean, Mediaport, MSA/@media, ODAC/Encoda, SQAD, Strata, Verance, and Wicks Broadcast Solutions.
The File Formats were developed using the XML language, which is an open, Internet-based standard. This is intended to facilitate their general adoption by the industry system providers. Implications to business processes caused by the widespread use of electronic communication have been discussed with a cross section of trading partners, including broadcasters, rep firms and agencies. Standards for the underlying technology infrastructure needed to support these standards are being developed in conjunction with the TVB EDI Taskforce, in order to ensure that there is conformity across different media platforms.