MUMBAI: Mediaware Infotech (MI) has developed an integrated credit management system (ICMS) for billing related issues involving TV industry constituents and ad agencies. MI MD Biswajit Das presented the solution based on virtual data entry to the IBF(Indian Broadcasting Federation)-AAAI (Advertising Agencies Association of India) joint committee in early March.

ICMS envisages using the Internet to create a common platform for loosely coupled community of broadcasters and ad agencies/media buyers. This is achieved by developing and installing small application software for each member of this community: TV channel, ad agency, IBF and AAAI.

MI MD Das establishes the capabilities and credentials of the company to come up with a workable solution. "Mediaware Infotech is a 12 year old company active in the field of IT solutions for the advertising and media industry. With over 300 installation in India and the middle east, Mediaware offers ready solutions, media databases, customized projects, strategic consultancy as well as internet-based solutions," Das adds.

Mediaware demonstrated its virtual data entry technology and enterprise application integration (EAI) solution to the the following members of the IBF - AAAI joint committee: the television industry was represented by Vinod Berry (Sony Entertainment Television), Ashok Soni (Star), Arun Agarwal (Zee), Venkat (Eenadu), Krishnan (AajTak) and others; the agencies were represented by Sunder Swamy (RK Swamy), Sam Balsara (Madison), Nagesh Alai (FCB Ulka), Chinta Rao (McCann) amongst others.

Madison group chairman Balsara confirms to the indiantelevision.com team that the total outstandings from established agencies till date is around Rs 600 million. During Ficci FRAMES 2003, DD director general Dr SY Quraishi had mentioned that the outstandings figures he had obtained from the IBF were in the range of Rs 1.04 billion from all agencies right from the beginning till date.

While speaking to indiantelevision.com, MI MD Das elaborated on the methodology: "Using current Internet technology, one can connect two different applications running on different computer networks located in different parts of the globe. Similarly, transaction data entered in one software can be automatically updated in another. The ICMS module developed for the IBF-AAAI members uses no leased lines, doesn't need thick bandwidth pipeline or 24X7 Internet connection. It is seamless and doesn't need any manual intervention."

The proposed ICMS solution seeks to automate the function of AAAI-IBF - use paperless model; ensure that no data is hosted on the web server; implement security levels as per requirements and ensure no exposure of individual players' data.

The following is the proposed workflow model:

Part I: Ad agencies' confirmation of monthly billing by TV channels
1. The solution is initiated at the TV channel end. Every month, each channel will enter ad agency-wise billing figures (top line, without any client/brand wise break-ups) in its local application.

2. With Mediaware's Virtual Data Entry technology, this data will be simultaneously updated in IBF's application software (in IBF's computer).

3. After due scrutiny, IBF asks its application software to sort data ad agency wise/TV channel wise.

4. No sooner than this is done, the data will be updated in AAAI's software (in AAAI's computer). After due scrutiny, AAAI asks its application software to split data ad agency wise.

5. No sooner than this is done, the individual ad agency data will be updated in each ad agency's software (located in each ad agency's individual computer).

6. Each ad agency scrutinises data received and enters "accepted" and "disputed" bill amounts for each TV channel. No sooner than this is finalized by the ad agency, the data will be updated in AAAI's software.

7. Once again, after scrutiny, AAAI asks its application software to sort data TV channel wise. No sooner than this is done, the data will be updated in IBF's software.

8. Once again, after due scrutiny, IBF asks its application software to split data TV channel wise. No sooner than this is done, the individual TV channel data will be updated in each TV channel's software (located in each TV channel's individual computer).

9. In this manner, after two rounds (16th and 25th of the following months), each TV channel will arrive at an accepted + disputed billing figure for each ad agency for each billing month.

Part II: Confirmation of monthly payments made by ad agencies to TV channels
1. The solution is again initiated at the TV channel end. Every month, each channel will enter ad agency-wise payments received for the previous-to-previous month in its local application. With Mediaware's Virtual Data Entry technology, this data will be simultaneously updated in IBF's application software (in IBF's computer).

2. After due scrutiny, IBF asks its application software to sort data ad agency wise/TV channel wise. No sooner than this is done, the data will be updated in AAAI's software (in AAAI's computer).

3. After due scrutiny, AAAI asks its application software to split data ad agency wise. No sooner than this is done, the individual ad agency data will be updated in each ad agency's software (located in each ad agency's individual computer).

4. Each ad agency scrutinises data received and enters "accepted" and "disputed" bill amounts for each TV channel.
No sooner than this is finalised by the ad agency, the data will be updated in AAAI's software.

5. Once again, after scrutiny, AAAI asks its application software to sort data TV channel wise. No sooner than this is done, the data will be updated in IBF's software.

6. Once again, after due scrutiny, IBF asks its application software to split data TV channel wise. No sooner than this is done, the individual TV channel data will be updated in each TV channel's software (located in each TV channel's individual computer).

7. In this manner, after two rounds, each TV channel will arrive at an accepted + disputed payments figure from each ad agency for each billing month.

Part III: Periodic settlement of disputed figures between ad agencies to TV channels
Once disputed figures are sorted under the auspices of IBF-AAAI joint committee, this data is entered into the system by IBF.

Once again the data is automatically updated in AAAI's software application.

No sooner than AAAI confirms the settlement figures, the data will be sorted & updated in TV channel's software application as well as ad agencies' application software.

The special features of the ICMS solution is that it can facilitate multi-branch financial accounting; provide real time TV release orders and enable remote data entry.

"Mediaware has a set of ready-to-customise software for ad agencies, media buyers, TV channels, publications and advertisers. Apart from ready-to-customise software, Mediaware maintains media databases for India and the Middle East," says Das.