You may notice a new network showing on the network list in AdSphere called “OTA”.  OTA stands for “Over the Air”.

For each broadcast digital network that DRMetrix monitors, we’re actually monitoring two local broadcast affiliates from different markets.  When we see a direct response ad appearing at the same time across both affiliates, we report the airing as a national clearance.  Using this methodology, DRMetrix is able to report airings running in the national ad breaks on the broadcast diginets.   This is different from the cable networks where DRMetrix monitors airings in both national and local DPI breaks.

DRMetrix may discover DR ads inserted by the local broadcast affiliates that we monitor.   Instead of ignoring and/or purging these creatives, we have decided to retain creatives of interest by assigning them to a fake network called “OTA”.  If you see a campaign that’s only running on OTA, please know it’s not running nationally and was picked up in one or more local broadcast markets.  Campaigns showing on the OTA network will be a small incomplete sample of the types of DR campaigns that are being aired by local broadcasters.  You may see airings assigned to OTA on occasion on various AdSphere™ reports including airing detail and summary reports and, for the most part, you can choose to ignore them.  These may also show up on your daily or weekly email tracking alerts.  If it’s obvious to our researcher that a new DR ad is only applicable to a certain market, these types of ads will not be included.