AdMeld says the new funding will help it meet growing demands of publishers. It’s hard not to doubt that publishers are increasingly interested in getting help managing their inventory and protecting their pricing as the use of real-time bidding and ad exchanges becomes part of the regular online ad marketplace. As the rise of ad networks led to the introduction of demand-side platforms (DSPs), at the opposite end, supply-side platforms, as AdMeld, along with Rubicon Project and PubMatic, have come to be known.

SEE ALSO: Publishers To Ad Nets: Hands Off Our Ad Inventory

Supply-side platforms (SSPs) have existed in other forms. Previously known by the even more opaque term “yield managers,” SSPs promise to improve online advertising inventory management, pricing, yield management and range of publisher sales channels. At the moment, the space is dominated by the three companies mentioned above, though many more are expected to join them.

With that in mind, these companies have begun to expand their services beyond making sure the pricing balance isn’t tipped too far in favor of ad agencies and marketers who use DSPs. For example, this past spring, Rubicon acquired malware monitor SiteScout as part of its suite of offerings to make clicking on ads appear safer. And just last week, AdMeld struck a partnership with The Media Trust to offer its own clients malware protection.

It’s not clear what role Time Warner sees in its relationship with AdMeld. To be sure, AdMeld, handles the inventory for a lot of major companies, including Discovery Communications (NSDQ: DISCA), FOX News, IAC (NSDQ: IACI), Pandora, Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI) and World Wrestling Entertainment. 

In a statement, Rachel Lam, SVP for Time Warner Investments, said that the media company’s venture capital arm, hinted at more such investments to come. “We seek to back companies, such as AdMeld, that can become important strategic partners for our operating divisions,” Lam said.