• by Alex Weprin , April 30, 2019

A pair of veterans of the OTT platform Roku are launching a new advertising network, focusing on connected TV.

The new company, called Tetra TV, LLC, will pool video inventory from more than 100 streaming video channels. Advertisers will be able to buy inventory across platforms, with Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, Playstation and Xbox on board as partners.

So are Sony, LG, Samsung and Vizio, which produce smart TVs.

Tetra was founded by Steve Shannon,  previously GM and senior vice president, content and services at Roku, and Jim Lombard, who launch Roku's video ad sales business. Shannon serves as CEO of Tetra, with Lombard serving as CRO.

Shannon tells Digital News Daily Tetra is bringing a singular product to the marketplace.

“Roku and Hulu are the only two places an advertiser can buy connected TV inventory at scale,” he says. “Neither of these outlets span across multiple publishers and multiple device platforms. Tetra is the first connected-TV focused ad platform that delivers scale across publishers and devices.”

Shannon says the company will “be agile in using the data most relevant to an advertiser’s KPIs.”

The company will focus on direct sales to agencies, with an emphasis on data-driven campaigns and outcome-based measurement. It will incorporate 50 million household connected TV audience graph.

“Tetra TV unlocks premium ad inventory and provides transparent reporting with universal measurement standards for advertisers looking to reach the growing streaming TV audience,” Lombard says.