Our History
2014
- SDS surpasses 400 stations!
- SDS rolls out CRM to entire client base free of charge.
2013
SDS celebrates 20 years!
2012
New client growth increases by over 300%!
2011
CRM module is launched in beta release as part of SDS Symphony. SDS revolutionizes the paper heavy model of doing business with the only end-to-end system in the market by bringing it all together from the sales pitch to the e-invoice in one centralized system.
2010
SDS launches first radio group in the Unites States.
2009
- SDS hires Shane Harris as VP of Sales & Marketing to lead N. America expansion.
- SDS expands its list of 3rd party ratings companies to now include Eastlan, Arbitron and Nielsen data.
2008
SDS expands beyond Specialty cable and TV and enters into the Radio market. Adds two Canadian radio groups.
2007
Specialty Data Systems Inc. launches 5-Station Television Group on SDSeBroadcast. Specialty Data Systems Inc. clients now include over 80 television, cable networks, and radio stations generating over half a billion dollars in annual advertising revenues.
2006
SDS launches first multimedia (Television and Radio) broadcaster on SDSeBroadcast.
2006
SDSeBroadcast system is enabled for Radio.
2003 – 2005
Specialty Data Systems Inc. enables SDSeBroadcast system for conventional television market.
2002
Specialty Data Systems Inc. moves its products onto n-tier architecture, using SQL Server 2000 as the database.
2001
Specialty Data Systems Inc. launches SDSeBroadcast; a fully integrated Programming, Traffic, Sales application, using object-oriented design, XML and other web enabling protocols.
1999
Specialty Data Systems Inc. releases SDSProposal 8.0, a powerful new proposal system designed for the advertising sales forces of both conventional and specialty television.
1996
SDSAffiliates launches and is used by cable networks to track affiliate payments.
1995
SDSTraffic, a Windows based programming, traffic, and billing software, launches.
1994
SDSAudience Analysis launches.
1993
Specialty Data Systems is incorporated.
1988
Specialty Data Systems writes its first Programming & Traffic application.
1986
SDSProposal launches as the first sales proposal system written for a specialty television network. As computer power doubles every 18 months, the software soon evolves into a powerful set of tools for television sales. In order to further develop and market these solutions to other broadcasters, Specialty Data Systems is formed.
1979
Dave Cole, working as a broadcast sales manager in Toronto, wrote his first piece of software for media use: a Reach/Frequency calculator in assembler. Dave next wrote a sales tracking system for a Commodore PET computer, followed by a sales proposal system for conventional television that ran on a Commodore 64K computer.