Imagine Communications Receives Emmy Award

Imagine Communications has received an Emmy Award for Pioneering Optimization of Advertising Placement in Single Channel Linear Television Programs by the Technology and Engineering Achievement Committee of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The award was presented on 8 January at a ceremony at the Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas, during CES 2016.

The award is Imagine Communications' 10th Emmy. The company has been recognised for its ad insertion technology that originated in the late 1960s but still serves as the foundational technology behind today's automated advertising sales and traffic systems. The technology was the first successful application of computerised automation of business processes within a broadcast operation, and remains relevant today.

"We are extremely proud to be honored once again with one of the world's most distinguished awards for technology excellence," said Charlie Vogt, CEO, Imagine Communications. "This achievement not only speaks to our rich legacy in the broadcast industry, but also validates the positive and enthusiastic reception our next-generation advertising technology is receiving from customers today. The media and entertainment industry is rapidly evolving and now, more than ever, requires technology partners that provide transformational innovation that is guided and informed by a long and distinguished heritage in the broadcast industry."

"It's difficult to overstate the importance and the impact of this technology, a radical departure from the people-powered traffic systems that persisted well into the 1980s," said Bridget Allen, vice president sales, advertising management systems, Imagine Communications. "Today's media and entertainment industry owes a debt of gratitude to George Beattie and Jack Finlayson, the broadcasting pioneers who are chiefly responsible for this transformative technology."

George Beattie attended the 67th Emmy Awards ceremony as Imagine Communications' special guest. Jack Finlayson, who passed away in 1991, was represented by daughters Bridget Allen and Terry Grinewich, both employees of Imagine Communications.

Today, thousands of television and radio stations, as well as content distributors and aggregators, run automated business process systems that are based on the spot placement algorithm and related procedures introduced by Imagine Communications almost 50 years ago. The technology originally relied on mainframe and minicomputers, as well as keypunch card systems, to help automate and simplify what had previously been a manual and error-plagued procedure.

Image: Charlie Vogt.

www.imaginecommunications.com

(JP/MH)