NETWORKS

NEW YORK -- iN DEMAND Networks, the nation's leading provider of pay-per-view (PPV), video-on-demand (VOD) and high-definition television (HD) programming, has selected an all-inclusive business intelligence platform from SAS, the leader in business intelligence, to collect, store and analyze complex data from millions of interactions between cable operators and their customers. Through its core data management and analytical capabilities, the SAS(R) platform will enable iN DEMAND to offer timely customer intelligence to hundreds of cable operators and dozens of content providers. iN DEMAND's partners, in turn, can use this information to monitor performance, increase operational efficiency, better target their marketing efforts and strengthen their customer relationships. "Now we can start leveraging the data we collect and begin sharing it with the cable operators and our content partners," said Peter Schamel, chief information officer at iN DEMAND Networks. "Instead of waiting days or weeks for reports, our partners will see the performance of their products in real time and can adjust and optimize their promotions and offerings for maximum impact." iN DEMAND's business intelligence platform from SAS includes a centralized data warehouse, sophisticated reporting capabilities and the newest generation of predictive analytics. "The platform is engineered to collect data from multiple sources, analyze it accurately and generate the business intelligence people need to make informed decisions," said Michael Minelli, SAS sales executive for media and entertainment. "SAS eliminates fantasy and guesswork from the predictive process." "Clearly, this is a complex operating environment in which robust data management and the ability to make accurate predictions are absolutely critical to the ongoing success and profitability of our partners," said Schamel. "To a large degree, our business rests on our data management and analytic skills. The new SAS platform moves us a giant step ahead, which is good news for us, for cable operators, for content providers. Ultimately, of course, it's good news for pay-per-view and video-on-demand customers." Under its agreement with iN DEMAND, SAS will provide the company with a turn-key business intelligence solution, including data warehousing, reporting and data mining software and support. Integration work on the project is being handled by Durham, N.C.-based Zencos Consulting, a Gold Member of the SAS Alliance (www.sas.com/partners). "We chose SAS because of its unique track record in the media and entertainment space and its experience with real-time analytics," said Schamel. "SAS offers the most features and meets our stringent requirements. SAS created an all-inclusive, comprehensive solution that addresses our specific challenges." Brian Boyd, iN DEMAND Network's director of strategy and planning, said he was especially impressed by the potential for a very rapid ROI. "The integration timeline allows for a quick return on investment," said Boyd. "The SAS platform will provide value within two weeks of our project's launch -- that's extremely exciting." SAS recently created a new business unit, based in New York, dedicated to serving the specific needs of organizations in the media and entertainment industry. In addition to iN DEMAND, SAS customers in this industry include Time Inc., TV Guide, Cablevision, EMI Music, Blockbuster, Reader's Digest, Warner Home Video, Scholastic, Nielsen, Rogers, Avenue A, DDB Matrix, DDB Worldwide and Guideposts.