TVB ePort went live last month as electronic orders were sent by Harmelin Media directly to Philadelphia stations and by Horizon Media to Continental Television Sales on behalf of its client, Gray Television-owned WOWT Omaha, the Television Bureau of Advertising announced today.

TVB also announced that 644 stations in 186 markets, including all of the top 100 markets, are now committed to TVB ePort, and coverage has reached 97.8 percent of the U.S.

“We are thrilled with last month’s successful launch and the growing support from television stations across the country,” said Chris Rohrs, TVB president. “We look forward to 2008’s rollout of the entire suite of open standard transactions—from avail through invoice for stations’ airtime, Web sites, digital subchannels and other multiplatform offerings—which we expect to complete by the end of the second quarter.”

Abby Auerbach, TVB’s executive vice president who spearheads the project, said: “It was very gratifying to get the enthusiastic reviews from the industry’s Alexander Graham Bells and Dr. Watsons. We will continue in the coming months to carefully manage the rollout of TVB ePort, provider-by-provider and agency-by-agency.”

The reviews have been enthusiastic.

“We’re now sending orders to stations in Philadelphia, and we’re already starting to recognize the real possibilities ahead,” said Karen Petrillo, vice president, Harmelin Media.

Kerry Miller, media buyer, Horizon Media, said: “We’ve successfully sent orders to the Continental Television Sales Rep Firm, and are eager to broaden the electronic means by which we conduct business on a daily basis. We look forward to the realm of possibilities this will have for us as an agency.”

Both Harmelin and Horizon are clients of Strata Marketing, which owns the first buying system to become compliant with TVB ePort’s open standards. Additional Strata agency clients will be connected to TVB ePort in the coming weeks, followed by the clients of other providers as they adapt their software to the nonproprietary standards.

“Strata has been working closely with the TVB to make ePort a reality for buyers and sellers,” said John Shelton, president, Strata Marketing. “I am delighted to know that Harmelin and Horizon, long-standing Strata clients, were able to make history by successfully sending the first electronic orders to TVB ePort. All of us at Strata congratulate the TVB and remain committed to connecting buyers and sellers electronically.”