Weigel Broadcasting Co. has signed a partnership agreement with advanced advertising firm OpenAP that will deliver the owner of a selection of digital multicast networks including MeTV “advanced data-driven linear audiences.”
The agreement extends across Weigel’s portfolio of multicast television networks, including Heroes & Icons, Start TV, Dabl, Catchy Comedy, Story Television, MeTV Toons, MOVIES!, and WEST.
Launching ahead of the 2026 Upfront season, the partnership marks what Weigel calls “a significant step” in its shift toward audience-based buying, enabling advertisers to move beyond traditional demographics.
“With OpenAP, Weigel Broadcasting Co. advertisers unlock access to a valuable data-driven video endpoint, and the ability to define audiences once and activate seamlessly across its portfolio of content, with the flexibility to activate through direct insertion order (IO), programmatic guaranteed (PG) or private marketplace (PMP) transactions,” the Chicago-based company led by Neal Sabin says.
Powered by data integrations, a multi-source identity framework and standardized segments for use across screens and platforms, campaigns maintain a consistent audience definition from planning through activation and measurement for cross-publisher campaigns, OpenAP explains. This is designed to reduce fragmentation and improve transparency.
“This streamlined workflow simplifies cross-publisher activation, ensures holistic measurement and optimization, and delivers actionable insights pre-and-post-campaign to drive real business outcomes,” the companies shared on Friday.
Weigel Executive VP John Hendricks commented, “Combined with recent announcements regarding datafuelX and VideoAmp, our partnership with OpenAP represents an important step forward in how we bring advanced capabilities to market as we aim to help our clients simplify cross-platform buying and deliver measurable outcomes with greater impact more efficiently.”
