Group Attraction Radio has installed SDS’s flagship broadcast management software, SDS Symphony, at all of its radio stations. The software centralizes information, across all departments and all markets.

“We had been working in a semi-manual system previously which made it very difficult to work efficiently”, explained Marc Thibault, Director of Finances, Radio Division. “Redundancy of data entry and effort was commonplace, so we needed a better way.” Thibault said.

SDS Symphony provides broadcasters with the ability to instantaneously share information between various markets, stations and departments – from CRM, sales, traffic and programming to operations and accounting – eliminating the need for data re-entry and cross-verification.

“Now with Group Attraction joining SDS, over 425 stations across North. America have partnered with SDS and we are proud to have the team from Group Attraction as a customer. With our bilingual support team, the users at Group Attraction have been able to learn SDS in their language. This is another commitment that SDS has to our partners in French Canada. I am confident that our SDS Symphony product will yield better clarity and control of their business,” said Dave Cole, President of SDS, explaining that the result is a more efficient and streamlined operation.

“Now, with SDS, we have streamlined administration, simple and efficient enterprise reporting and rapid process improvement,” Thibault said.

Established in 1993, SDS is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software, specializing in the development of a proven, unified approach to broadcast sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting. A mid-sized company with more than 425 television and radio station clients representing a billion dollars in advertising revenues, SDS is independent of broadcaster ownership and remains an agile and customer-focused company. For more information, visit www.sds.ca.

“I’m pleased to announce the following additions to the SDS family,” said Dave Cole, president of Toronto, Ont.-based SDS, adding that the company is on target to increase its installed base to more than 500 radio and television stations across North America by fourth quarter 2016.

The new accounts include:
Corus Entertainment Inc. (3 stations) and the launch of Disney, Disney XD, and La Chaine Disney in November 2015. Corus Entertainment has been using SDS since 1993. Proving that SDS understands the Canadian marketplace better than anyone else.

Accessible Media Inc. and the launch of AMI-Tele in January 2015 in Quebec. Launch in January 2015, AMI serves more than five million Canadians who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, hard of hearing, mobility or print restricted. AMI has been part of the SDS family since 2008.

Roundhouse Radio launched in January 2015. After reviewing all the choices available in the marketplace, Roundhouse Radio selected SDS Symphony to assist in reaching its mandate of hyperlocal content and urban presence.

“American General Media (6 stations), Summit Media LLC (8 stations), Results Radio (2), Harvard Broadcastings (2) also expanded with ease” Cole noted. “The process is not intrusive to the users at all and stations can be added and launched within a matter of weeks with no additional costs!”

In addition to station launches, SDS also has expanded its VOD offering to Canadian television clients. “As the BDU offer more options to the viewer, this has required additional features within the VOD spectrum, often at a moment’s notice. We have been able to deliver these modifications to our clients with ease” said Sarah Smithies, SDS’s Project Director. “That’s why they chose SDS. We have been there for them every step of the way. From changes in the reporting system at the CRTC to the Numeris Program Names Collection Solution. We add these features at no charge to the system so our clients are not using Excel or manual reports.”

“Over the past year, SDS has been working on a new feature we call SDS IM or Inventory Management,” commented Jim Anderson, COO of SDS. “As the industry changes, so too does our software and the ability to see as much or little information as the user demands. SDS IM allows them to do that. It allows them to see as far into the future as they dare to look and manage the inventory as they want.”

Sherri Clark, the Corporate Traffic Director from Summit Media says this about SDS IM. “I’m able to handle the logs for 15 stations across the country from wherever I am. I travel from site to site, we have 6 in total, and everyone thinks I’m sitting in their location doing the logs, moving spots, etc. I couldn’t live without it!”

Equipped with a common database to integrate sales, traffic, programming, finance and operations data, SDS Symphony gives broadcasters the ability to instantaneously share information between stations and across departments, regardless of location. Its automated approach eliminates the need for re-entry and cross-verification of data, and formats information according to specific user needs, whether they’re programming airtime, booking orders, scheduling promos or producing sales and commission reports.

About Specialty Data Systems
SDS, established in 1993, is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software. More than 450 television and radio station clients have unified sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting with the SDS Symphony suite of products. It is independent of broadcaster ownership. For more information, visit www.sds.ca .

Now, when building an order in SDS Sales, line-level edits directly query the Numeris data to automatically update rating, audience, CPM, CPP, and reach/frequency numbers. As hours and days are narrowed and spot times are adjusted, the audience data reflects the changes in real-time. This version of SDS Sales also includes a comprehensive and fully customizable Ranker, which allows the inclusion of spill markets, the creation of station groupings, and dynamic printing options. The introduction of these features makes SDS Sales a one-stop solution for building pitches, estimating audience reach, and entering buys, eliminating redundant data-entry and the need for multiple systems. Harnessing the power of Numeris’ data engine is yet another example of SDS’s dedication to help clients save time and make more money by maximizing every spot and every dollar.

“SDS is committed to continuously enhancing our products with time-saving features to streamline the user experience. We strive to constantly deliver the tools broadcasters need to stay one step ahead in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace,” says Dave Cole, SDS President. “SDS’s decision to integrate the power of the Numeris data engine speaks directly to our commitment to providing effective, powerful business software to our clients.”

Established in 1993, SDS is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software, specializing in the development of a proven, unified approach to broadcast sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting. A mid-sized company with more than 400 television and radio station clients representing a billion dollars in advertising revenues, SDS is independent of broadcaster ownership and remains an agile and customer-focused company. For more information, visit www.sds.ca. 

Toronto, Ontario – January 28, 2014 –Specialty Data Systems (SDS) announced today the release of its new mobile-friendly website, featuring a more contemporary design and user-friendly menus that allow visitors to easily navigate through each section. The updated pages at www.sds.ca contain the latest information on the SDS Symphony system, the company, team members, product news and recent press releases.

Many new enhancements have also been made to improve the user-experience for all broadcasters; radio, TV and internet.  The site details the many advantages of partnering with SDS to save time and make more money by maximizing every spot and every dollar with the SDS Symphony system.

The mobile version of www.sds.ca resizes to each user’s screen, regardless of the device, to deliver the same user-experience as a Web browser on a PC.

“SDS is committed to expanding our market share with an optimized end-to-end approach of doing business and a second-to-none dedication to our customers. We strive to constantly deliver the tools broadcasters need to stay competitive in today’s changing marketplace,” says Dave Cole, SDS President. “Our newly enhanced website is part of our commitment to do just that.”

Established in 1993, SDS is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software, specializing in the development of a proven, unified approach to broadcast sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting. A mid-sized company with more than 400 television and radio station clients representing a billion dollars in advertising revenues, SDS is independent of broadcaster ownership and remains an agile and customer-focused company. For more information, visit www.sds.ca. 

Summit Media Chooses SDS Broadcast Management System to Unify its 23 U.S. Radio Stations

Toronto, Ontario – January 27, 2014 – One-stop access to all the data at each of its radio stations was what leading U.S. broadcaster Summit Media, LLC  was looking for to increase the efficiency of its operations. The Birmingham, Alabama-based company found the solution in an innovative, unified broadcast management system provided by Specialty Data Systems (SDS).

Summit Media has announced that it has installed SDS’s flagship broadcast management software, SDS Symphony, at all 23 of its radio stations, based in Alabama, Virginia, S. Carolina, Hawaii and Kentucky. The software centralizes information, across all departments, in real time.

“The SDS system completely eliminates the information silos that are so prevalent in radio,” said Darryl Grondines, CFO of Summit Media, explaining that the company previously had separate databases for each of its stations and each market it services. “Now, with SDS, all our stations are in a common database which enables simple and efficient enterprise reporting, rapid process improvement and streamlined administration, which will play a vital role in the growth and development of our company.”

“We wear a lot of different hats around here and we needed a software vendor that would help us work smarter, not harder”, Grondines explained. “SDS is a long-time, privately-owned company that very much resembles our own, so cultural fit played a large role in our partnering decision.”

SDS Symphony provides broadcasters with the ability to instantaneously share information between various markets, stations and departments – from CRM, sales, traffic and programming to operations and accounting – eliminating the need for data re-entry and cross-verification.

“Now with over 400 stations across N. America partnered with SDS Symphony, information is always up-to-date and broadcasters have better clarity and control of their business,” said Dave Cole, President of SDS, explaining that the result is a more efficient and streamlined operation. “The technology’s two-way flow of data allows for faster implementation, and reduces redundancies and costs, enabling the system to grow and adapt as broadcasters grow and the market evolves.”

Established in 1993, SDS is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software, specializing in the development of a proven, unified approach to broadcast sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting. A mid-sized company with more than 400 television and radio station clients representing a billion dollars in advertising revenues, SDS is independent of broadcaster ownership and remains an agile and customer-focused company. For more information, visit www.sds.ca.

“SDS CRM resulted directly from client feedback,” said Dave Cole, President of Toronto-based SDS, noting that the decision to develop a custom vertical solution was achieved following an extensive market review of other CRM offerings on the market  combined with a comprehensive survey of customer needs.

“We’re delivering an end-to-end software solution that puts real-time customer information into the hands of broadcasters – literally via email, PC or mobile device – helping them to manage the everyday business of broadcasting, from generating sales leads to managing active accounts,” he said.

Unlike standalone CRM systems that are often fragmented, SDS CRM provides a comprehensive and unified view of customer information that is accurate and up-to-date. It takes account management to the next level by supplying continuously updated alerts and reports on everything from revenue, accounts receivable, inventory and pacing, to budget, key performance indicators  and sales projections.

Whereas other CRM products rely on third-party reporting software or manual consolidation of data from disparate markets and silos of information, SDS CRM delivers a consolidated view of critical reports, alerts, and performance indicators from across an entire organization. This is particularly important for broadcasters as they continue to move towards more centralized operations as a way to do more with less, Cole explained.

“SDS CRM keeps me on track,” said Mike Cheney, Local Sales Manager at Bend, Oregon-based Horizon Broadcasting. “It brings all of my account information right to my phone so that it’s available whenever I need it.”

Trila Bumstead, CEO at Seattle, Washington-based Ohana Media, added that: “Using the built-in performance alert feature, I get real-time notification of potential problems so that I can ‘course correct’ while I still have time to do something about it.”

SDS CRM is a fully unified component of SDS Symphony, the company’s flagship product for automating routine broadcast-related tasks such as airtime programming, sales and traffic workflow, order booking, promo scheduling and credit rule enforcement.  Among the new component’s functionality and features are: CRM dashboard, an overview of operational information including access to drill-down reports; CRM Alerts, a feature that sends automatic notification whenever pre-determined conditions are met, such as missing copy, expiring contracts or past-due receivables; CRM Account Brief, a summary of client information to support sales calls; and CRM Push Reports, an automatic way to receive custom reports. All features are customizable.

Operating on Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Microsoft SQL Server, SDS CRM is included as part of the unified SDS Symphony suite at no cost.

Rawlco Radio’s 18 stations centralizes operations with SDS

Toronto, Ontario – January 28, 2014 – Centralized radio station operations was what leading Canadian broadcaster Rawlco Radio, was looking for to increase the efficiency of its operations. The Saskatchewan-based company found the solution in an innovative, unified broadcast management system provided by Specialty Data Systems (SDS).

Rawlco Radio has announced that it has installed SDS’s flagship broadcast management software, SDS Symphony, at all 18 of its radio stations, based in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The software centralizes information, across all departments and all Rawlco markets.

“We had been working in a semi-centralized manner before, but each station functioned in its own database which made it very difficult to work efficiently”, explained Ian Koturbash, CFO of Rawlco Radio. “Redundancy of data entry and effort was commonplace, so we needed a better way.” Koturbash said.

SDS Symphony provides broadcasters with the ability to instantaneously share information between various markets, stations and departments – from CRM, sales, traffic and programming to operations and accounting – eliminating the need for data re-entry and cross-verification.

“Now with Rawlco Radio coming on board, over 400 stations across N. America have partnered with SDS and we are proud to have the team from Rawlco as a customer.  I am confident that our SDS Symphony product will yield better clarity and control of their business,” said Dave Cole, President of SDS, explaining that the result is a more efficient and streamlined operation.

“Now, with SDS, all our stations are together in one database which enables streamlined administration, simple and efficient enterprise reporting and rapid process improvement, which will play a vital role in the growth in the efficiency of our radio operations and employee morale”, Koturbash said.

Established in 1993, SDS is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software, specializing in the development of a proven, unified approach to broadcast sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting. A mid-sized company with more than 400 television and radio station clients representing a billion dollars in advertising revenues, SDS is independent of broadcaster ownership and remains an agile and customer-focused company. For more information, visit www.sds.ca.

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SDS Adds 49 Canadian Radio Stations to its Growing Broadcast Management Customer Base

Toronto, Ontario – April 18, 2013 – Specialty Data Systems (SDS) Inc., a leading North American provider of innovative broadcast management software, continues to extend its market reach in Canada with the announcement of four new broadcasting accounts totaling 49 radio stations.

“After focusing our growth strategy in Canada for much of 2012, we’re pleased to announce that our efforts have paid off,” said Dave Cole, president of Toronto, Ont.-based SDS, adding that the company is on target to increase its installed base to more than 500 radio and television stations across North America by fourth quarter 2014.

The new accounts include: Acadia Broadcasting Ltd. (10 stations), based in Saint John, N.B.; Harvard Broadcasting (11 stations), based in Calgary, Alta; Maritime Broadcasting System (24 stations), based in Halifax, N.S.; and Fabmar Communications Ltd. (4 stations), based in Melfort, Sask. All four selected the company’s flagship product, SDS Symphony, for its unique ability to unify disparate business systems, allowing broadcasters to work better and faster. They will also benefit from a newly-launched Customer Relationship Management (CRM) component of the SDS system, called SDS CRM, which delivers a consolidated view of critical reports and performance indicators across an entire organization, including support for mobile devices and smart phones.

“Choosing SDS Symphony and SDS CRM has enabled us to streamline our operations,” said Jim MacMullin, Vice-President of Acadia Broadcasting. “Before, we had three separate systems that didn’t talk to each other – Sales, Traffic and Corporate Reporting – and our reporting was entirely manual. Now, we have one unified, automated process for accessing the critical information we need to run our business and anticipate the addition of SDS CRM to take it to the next level.”

With SDS, we’re working smarter, not harder,” said Ken Singer, Vice-President, Broadcast Operations at Fabmar Communications. “Previously, our sales reps in three markets spent a great deal of time handling paper orders that were handled again by our traffic managers creating a lot of unnecessary processing time. Thanks to the remote capabilities of SDS, that’s no longer the case.”

Equipped with a common database to integrate sales, traffic, programming, finance and operations data, SDS Symphony gives broadcasters the ability to instantaneously share information between stations and across departments, regardless of location. Its automated approach eliminates the need for re-entry and cross-verification of data, and formats information according to specific user needs, whether they’re programming airtime, booking orders, scheduling promos or producing sales and commission reports.

New in 2013 and included as part of SDS Symphony at no additional cost, the SDS CRM component takes account management to the next level by supplying continuously updating alerts and reports on everything from revenue, accounts receivable, inventory and pacing, to budget, key performance indications and sales projections. Features include a dashboard of key operational data with drill-down reports; automatic notification whenever pre-determined conditions are met, such as missing copy or past-due receivables; client summaries; and, customizable reports.

About Specialty Data Systems

SDS, established in 1993, is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software. More than 360 television and radio station clients have unified sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting with the SDS Symphony suite of products. It is independent of broadcaster ownership. For more information, visit www.sds.ca .

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The London, Ont.-based broadcaster – which has radio stations in Chatham, Leamington, London, Sarnia, Windsor and Wingham – explained that it chose SDS’s broadcast management solution because it met the company’s need to unify its operations, increase efficiency and avoid duplication.  

 “Our goal was to not only improve efficiency at a market level, but to also provide consolidated real-time data for head office,” said Walter Ploegman, Director of Operations and Marketing for Blackburn Radio. Prior to installing the SDS system, Ploegman explains that Blackburn had separate installations of traffic and billing software, and all data required manual entry and extensive manual consolidation. 

“Now, since all processes are done automatically without the need to manually import and export data, our group is realizing valuable time savings while increasing data accuracy and streamlining our operations,” Ploegman said, adding that he appreciates the dedication displayed by the SDS support team throughout the transition to the new system. “Although change is difficult with any software conversion, the SDS team has worked hard to minimize any uneasiness felt by our group – from training all the way through to our first log assembly.” 

SDS Symphony provides broadcasters with the ability to instantaneously share information between stations and across departments – from sales, traffic and programming to operations and accounting – eliminating the need for data re-entry and cross-verification. Users access information online in real time and data is filtered and formatted to meet specific needs. The system eases programming of airtime, booking orders, scheduling promos, enforcing credit rules, and producing sales and commission reports.

“Whether a company has one station or multiple outlets, SDS Symphony consolidates and centralizes data so that information is always up-to-date and accessible,” said Dave Cole, President of SDS, adding that the technology also has the ability to adapt as broadcasters grow and the market evolves. “The system’s two-way flow of data allows for faster implementation, and reduces redundancies and costs, giving broadcasters better clarity and control of all aspects of their business while maximizing efficiency and profits.” 

Blackburn Radio – founded in 1922 when Arthur Blackburn was granted one of the first radio licenses in Canada – has a successful tradition of marrying state-of-the-art technology with high-quality local programming and community service, news and entertainment. With the goal of meeting the specific needs of the local markets it serves, Blackburn Radio provides a diverse range of format choices, including contemporary, modern, adult hits, rock, news and talk, sports, country and oldies stations.  

SDS, established in 1993, is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software, specializing in the development of a proven, unified approach to broadcast sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting. A mid-sized company with more than 250 television and radio station clients representing a billion dollars in advertising revenues, SDS is independent of broadcaster ownership and remains an agile and customer-focused company.

For more information, visit www.sds.ca 

Media information, or to set up interviews:  

Gail Bergman or Samantha Giovenazzo

Gail Bergman PR

Tel: (905) 886-1340 or (905) 886-3345

Email: info@gailbergmanpr.com 

All 28 stations – located in Corning-Elmira and Olean, New York, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Muncie, Indiana, Jackson, Missississippi and Sioux Falls, South Dakota – have installed SDS’s flagship broadcast management software, SDS Symphony, in order to unify their operations across the miles, increase efficiency and avoid duplication, according to the broadcaster. The software integrates all of the stations’ information, across all departments, in real time. 

“The SDS system eliminates the information silos that are so prevalent in radio,” said Robin Smith, Vice President and CFO of Backyard Broadcasting, explaining that the company previously had separate databases for each of its stations. “Now, with SDS, all our stations are in a common database which enables simple and efficient enterprise reporting, rapid process improvement and streamlined administration across the entire company,” she said. 

“What attracted us to SDS was their unified approach to broadcasting management software. From an initial proposal submission to a final invoice, we have it all consolidated with SDS, but also have the flexibility to retain traffic functions in each market,” Smith explained. “SDS is a long-time, privately-owned company that very much resembles our own, so cultural fit played a large role in our partnering decision.”  

SDS Symphony provides broadcasters with the ability to instantaneously share information between stations and across departments – from sales, traffic and programming to operations and accounting – eliminating the need for data re-entry and cross-verification. Users access information online in real time and data is filtered and formatted to meet specific needs. The system eases programming of airtime, booking orders, scheduling promos, enforcing credit rules, and producing sales and commission reports.

“Our technology solution consolidates and centralizes data so that information is always up-to-date and broadcasters have better clarity and control of all aspects of their business,” said Dave Cole, President of SDS, explaining that the result is a more efficient and streamlined operation. “The technology’s two-way flow of data allows for faster implementation, and reduces redundancies and costs, enabling the system to grow and adapt as broadcasters grow and the market evolves.” 

Listed as one of the top 30 broadcasting companies in America, Backyard Broadcasting owns a portfolio of radio stations primarily in medium-sized markets. Using state-of-the-art, digital broadcasting equipment to maximize signal strengths and quality of each station’s sound, the broadcaster offers diverse, heritage programming in each of the six markets it serves, from Hit Radio to Country, to Adult Album Alternative (AAA) and News/Talk/Sports.  

SDS, established in 1993, is a leading North American provider of broadcast management software, specializing in the development of a proven, unified approach to broadcast sales, traffic, programming, operations and accounting. A mid-sized company with more than 250 television and radio station clients representing a billion dollars in advertising revenues, SDS is independent of broadcaster ownership and remains an agile and customer-focused company.

Media information, or to set up interviews:  

Gail Bergman

Gail Bergman PR

Tel: (905) 886-1340 Email: info@gailbergmanpr.com