IAR Bits and Bytes

24/7 Real Media U.K. Wins New iTV Contract

Real Media Europe, a unit of 24/7 Real Media has closed a new ad serving deal with NTL, the largest cable company in the United Kingdom and one of the major players in interactive TV.

As a result of the two-year deal, NTL will use 24/7 Real Media’s Open AdStream ad serving software on its Digital TV platform, which includes interactive TV, electronic program guides, games and email. The service has about one million subscribers in the U.K.

“Open AdStream brings significant value to platform operators seeking to unify the advertising sales and delivery processes across numerous interactive channels,” said John Piccone, director of technology sales at Real Media Europe. “We look forward to working with NTL on innovative digital TV advertising projects.”

The move boosts 24/7’s client roster in the interactive TV arena. Currently, it serves Pace Micro Technologies, a set-top box technology provider, in the U.K. as well.

Interep Lands Wireless, Big Brand Deals

Interep Interactive’s Winstar Interactive Media and Perfect Circle Media continue to add to their string of ad representation wins.

The two units of New York-based Interep are expected to soon announce that they’ve signed a deal to represent SMS text messaging inventory in the U.S., through a deal with Adversoft. Almost 100 million domestic mobile phone users can receive SMS, the companies said.

Winstar also will represent online travel site Expedia .

It also won representation duties for Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment sites, including Sony Pictures, Soap City, video sharing site Screenblast, DawsonsCreek.com, and gaming site TheStation.com.

The news follows other recent wins. Earlier this month, Winstar agreed to represent the Nasdaq Stock Market’s Nasdaq.com for national sales. In July, the company took on sales duties for DrPhil.com, the companion Web site to the upcoming “Dr. Phil” syndicated TV series due to launch next month from Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions.

A month earlier, the company signed a deal to represent StreamCast Networks’ controversial peer-to-peer application Morpheus and its MusicCity.com portal to national advertisers.

Eyeblaster, EyeWonder in Streaming Video Deal

A deal between Eyeblaster and EyeWonder will see streaming video integrated into new rich media ad formats.

The agreement links New York-based Eyeblaster’s rich media ad formats and management ASP with Atlanta-based EyeWonder’s Java-based streaming video format.

In addition to enabling agencies, advertisers and publishers to traffic streaming video as part of Eyeblaster’s platform, the agreement also will see EyeWonder video ads being integrated into floating “takeover” ads and interstitial formats.

“The Eyeblaster platform was designed to support emerging content formats, including streaming media,” says Gal Trifon, CEO of Eyeblaster. “We’re pleased to add support for EyeWonder and to provide our agency and publisher clients with an easier way to create and manage streaming video advertising through the Eyeblaster platform.”

The EyeWonder video technology precludes the need for a standalone media player or plugin, and, unlike cached video formats, the ads can begin playing immediately even to dialup users.