Basic Media Terminology

BASIC MEDIA TERMINOLOGY

Above the Line (ATL): advertising through mass media (e.g. TV, press, radio, etc.)
Advertorial: it is a subtle form of communication, mainly used in print, by which the strengths of the advertisers’ brands are communicated in an editorial format. It should be in line with the editorial style of the publication.
Affinity Index: is an "efficiency indicator" in media planning. It shows the weight of a specific Target Audience compared to the total population in case of a specific programme/ medium. The affinity index = TRP/GRP. In case this figure is higher than 1 (100%), it means that the programme/medium is well targeted for our Target Audience. The higher this index the better the targeting is.
Audit of circulation: circulation analysis of a publication, run by a specialized, independent audit company. This information becomes public and is a useful working tool for the publications themselves, and for media agencies and advertisers.
Average Frequency: the average number of times the members of our Target Audience are exposed to the advertising message.
Barter: a station / publication exchanges its ad-time / ad-space for other service or product.
Below The Line: forms of advertising that do not involve mass media (e.g. direct mail).
Channel viewership share: a segment of our target audience who is watching TV/listening to radio at a given period of time. Channel viewership share is a percentage of this watching/listening segment (100%) selecting the given channel.
Circulation: number of copies of a given issue of a publication that is distributed, either paid or for free.

Clutter: there are 3 main types of advertising clutter:
1. the overall market clutter: the total number of ads
during a certain period of time,
2. the competitive clutter: the total number of ads for
competing brands,
3. the media clutter: the total number of ads appearing on
a certain medium during a certain time period.

Conversion: ratio, that shows the proportion for two different target audiences compared to each other that are represented in front of the TV sets on a given channel, in a given day-part, programme, ad block or even during a certain TV commercial.
Cost calculation:
· Gross Cost: refers to rate card advertising
expenditure, including all extra charges (without VAT)
· Net Cost: Gross Cost minus Volume Discount
· Net net Cost: Net Cost minus Media Commission
· Client Cost: Net Net Cost + Agency Fee
Cost per point (CPP): the cost of reaching 1% of a specific Target Audience (1 rating point) through a certain media vehicle.
Cost per thousand (CPT): the cost of reaching 1,000 people of a specific Target Audience through a certain media vehicle.
Coverage: the proportion (expressed as %) of a target audience that has any opportunity to see / hear the specific ad.Day-part segments: time bands that have associated levels of audience delivery. For the Hungarian market there are:
· Early Morning: 6.00-9.00
· Morning: 9.00-12.00
· Early Afternoon: 12.00-15.00
· Pre-prime Time: 15.00-18.30
· Prime Time: 18.30-22.00
· Late Night: 22.00-02.00

Double Page Spread: two full pages of immediately adjacent advertising.
Effective Frequency: in order to fulfill the goals of the campaign, it is necessary for our Target Audience to see our commercial several times. These frequency levels, at which the advertisements are most effective, are called Effective Frequency. (E.g. 3+, 4+)
Effective Reach: the percentage of the target audience that is exposed to the ad at the Effective Frequency level. (E.g. 3+ 50%, 4+ 50%.)
30 sec Equivalent: its main objective is to create common base for comparing advertising SOV when advertisers use commercials of different length.
Flight: period of continuous advertising activity.
GRP: Gross Rating Point. The sum of ratings achieved by a specific media in a campaign.
Horizontal Road Blocking: placing a TV or radio commercial at the same time on different channels.

Implementation planning: producing a detailed media plan that is to be bought, following the media strategy.
Infomercial: a long commercial designed to supply detailed information about a product or service rather than to present a specific sales message.
Linear pricing: if the cost of a 30 sec TV/radio commercial is 100, then any shorter or longer commercial costs are calculated proportionally less or more. (e.g.: 15 sec – 50, 30 sec- 100, 45 sec – 150).
Non-linear pricing: the cost of the TV/radio commercials shorter or longer than 30 sec are not calculated proportionally (e.g.: 5" –30, 10"- 50, 15" –55, 20"-80, 25" –90, 30"-100).
Net reach: is the percentage of the target audience that was reached by the message at least once during a period of time (e.g. a four-week campaign). Net reach = 1+ coverage.
OTS / OTH: the average number of opportunities to see / hear an advertisement by the members of our target audience during a period of time (e.g. a four-week campaign).

People meter: one of the most advanced monitoring tools that record the status of the TV sets (i.e. which channel is watched) within a panel household, by members of a family, on a continuous basis.
Phasing: strategy of alternating the weekly weight of a whole year activity in order to obtain greater media efficiency.
Positioning: refers to the preferential placement of ads in specific media. For print, positioning might mean the placement of an ad to face an editorial, on the right page, on the back cover or inside cover etc. For TV, this means the choice of the position within the ad-block – first / last etc.
Post-buy analysis: the evaluation of a schedule’s achievements after it’s running compared to the planned level. The analysis covers TRP and GRP performance, OTS, coverage and frequency, etc.
Print ad sizes:
· Type area: the area on the page of a publication that is surrounded by margins and can be filled with text or picture. The size of this area is indicated in mm.
· Trim size: the real, final size of a publication. An ad has this size if it runs up to the edge of the page. The safety size of this is bleed, which is a larger surface: there is about a 5-mm wide margin for safety at each side of the trim-sized ad.
Print run: the total number of copies of a publication, including the sold – through subscription or shops – and unsold (remittance) and free (promotional) copies as well.
Rate card: a medium’s price list. Rate cards are issued periodically and show the prices charged for various time-slots and programs.

Rating point: the percentage of audience reached by a particular program / issue of a publication. 1 rating point = 1% of a target group reached by that program.
Readers per copy: the average number of persons that read a copy of a publication, calculated by dividing average readership of an issue by circulation.
Share of Voice (SOV), Share of Spending (SOS): the brand’s or advertiser’s advertising weight expressed as a percentage of a defined total market or market segment in a given time period. The weight is usually defined in terms of expenditures (SOS) or ratings (SOV).
Strategic Media Planning: providing a communication solution to marketing plans, establishing communication goals, media choice and targets.
Target Audience: the nearest approximation of a Target Group that can be handled and reliably measured by media research.
Target Group: a group of people – set by marketing objectives –, which a campaign is designed to reach.TRP: is the percentage of audience reached by a particular program / issue of a publication against a particular target audience. 1 rating point = 1% of a specific target audience.
TVR: Television Rating Vertical Road Blocking: placing a TV or radio commercial on various timeslots on the same channel, on the same day.
Weekly Weight: the size of advertising burst or campaign as described by the weekly TRP delivery.