DeSilva + Phillips, media investment bankers, announces that its client SQAD, Inc., the de facto standard for tracking and forecasting TV, radio, and web media costs, has acquired Wrapsidy, LLC, the leading provider of ratings-analysis software to the broadcast industry.

SQAD is recognized as the industry-standard media cost forecasting source for national TV (NetCosts - network TV, cable and syndication), spot TV, Hispanic spot TV, spot radio and the Internet. SQAD provides reliable media data to advertising agencies, buying services, advertisers, television and radio stations, cable operators, program syndicators and Internet publishers.

The addition of Wrapsidy's innovative applications for Nielsen overnight and sweeps-period spot ratings for Nielsen Station Index (NSI) data, makes SQAD the industry's premier source for historic and current spot-market metrics and forecasts.

"The Spot Media business is changing," SQAD CEO Neil Klar noted in announcing the Wrapsidy acquisition. "New metrics are being developed, new data analysis subsets are always in demand, and the dynamics by which agencies and advertisers use basic Nielsen data are constantly being refined."

"Our acquisition of SNAP in 2000 substantially enhanced our ability to meet these ongoing challenges for both existing and future clients. Adding Wrapsidy's best-in-class WRAP Overnights and WRAP Sweeps products to our product line alongside SNAP, is another quantum step forward for us and our customers."

Wrapsidy, LLC, based in Los Gatos, CA, is the leading provider of rating-analysis software to the broadcast industry. Its WRAP (Windows Rating Analysis Programs) product line features tools for analysis of Nielsen's primary local rating sources: Overnights and Sweeps. Wrapsidy clients include the networks, syndicators, rep firms, station groups and individual stations. The company was founded in 1992 by ratings software pioneer, Andy Eshkar (architect of the ground breaking SNAP software in the 1980's).

Discussing the transaction, Eshkar, who assumes the role of SQAD's Vice President of WRAP products, said, "I think the merger between SQAD and Wrapsidy is a perfect fit. It combines diverse strengths that together give SQAD a much larger presence in the media industry. Tapping into the knowledgebase and expertise of each company, an opportunity now exists to create unique solutions for a wide range of Media clients."

About DeSilva + Phillips, Media Investment Bankers
DeSilva + Phillips, media investment bankers, (www.mediabankers.com), specializing in the media and digital media industries, has completed nearly 200 transactions with a total value of over $8 billion. Its Digital Media & Technology Group covers the M&A and corporate finance marketplace for electronic content in its many forms, including web-based publications specialized search engines, online video, advertising, lead generation, e-commerce, integrated marketing.