Advertising

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Electronic Media

Module 011 - Electronic Media

Electronic Media is also known as Broadcast Media. Nowadays, it is

considered as one of the most influential form of media. When we talked
about this type of media, we are referring to radio and television. The
advertisers are buying air time and it is not only task-oriented, it can be very
expensive. You cannot buy an air time without the proper forum. You have to
prepare ahead, talk to the designated people, and arrange the budget to
secure the air time that you want for your advertisement.
At the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Segregate the different parts of electronic media;
2. Categorize the features of electronic media;
3. Determine basic knowledge in buying air time;
4. Create a simple radio and TV commercials for a particular product.
Broadcast Media is an exciting yet complicated task. Sometimes, a simple
jingle or a good storyline for a TV commercial can make or break the product.
In writing an ad script for both TV and radio, remember that you are writing
as short as possible but at the same time, you want to encapsulate everything
in your commercial. Also, do not forget the main idea of your ad: to promote
and sell the product or service.

Electronic Media
In electronic communication, you can market yourself and anything else from
businesses to products. It is efficient way to communicate to one another, either by the use
of media devices or networks. There is a wide range of electronic media that broadcast a
variety of ideas like advertisements and promotions. This is anything that is used to
advertise or promote that is run by electricity. There are more and more channels for
electronic media that come out as our technology grows and expands.

Television
This is one of the most used electronic media devices because franchises can pay for
advertisements to show millions of people, thus bringing in more business. It provides us with the
highest volume of electronic media advertising. There are hundreds of advertisements shown on
each channel per day and some slots are sold for millions to the advertisers as they will have such
a high audience to watch their ads.
Television script is like radio but has a visual element and aural ones. It is delivered
sequentially broken down with scenes. Television is the most expensive advertising medium. Your
writing will supply the visual idea, the narration in the advertisement, the dialogue of the
announcer, or the actors use to influence a buying decision.

Course Module
 Most writers use a formatted TV script template. This is the page with the audio on one side
and the video on the other. The following features must be taken into consideration in writing a TV
commercial:
1. Say it. With only 30 seconds to work with, you must get to the point with the first sentence. Come
right out and say what the spot is going to be about. The lead sentence in the commercial is like
the headline in a print ad. It must get the viewer’s attention, select the appropriate audience for
the message, and make the viewers want to know more. Words on a TV screen are called chyron
or CG for character generator. When the you write the announcer‘s first sentence in the audio
column, you will also write instruction for the video and CG in the video column.
2. Explain it. If your lead sentence is successful, you have the attention of the viewer and must share
a few seconds sharing additional details.
3. Repeat it. The audience is not a captive one. The attention is very short and with hundreds of
channels to choose from, you run the risk of losing a sale. Often you need to repeat the idea in the
lead sentence and since you’re urging people to show up at a store, give the location, time, and
other pertinent details.

Buying Airtime in Television for Commercial

1. There are two types of stations that will sell you airtime: broadcast and cab le stations. Both
broadcast stations and cable channels appear on your local cable system, but you have to buy
airtime on the broadcast stations from their local representative. You buy cable channel
airtime from their representative.
2. Television rate cards are set up with pricing for buying a 30 second commercial in a particular
television program, There are also rotators (6 am to 9 am) airtime.
3. Although commercials within program are prices based on the size of the audience for the
program, the inventory can be a factor in the air time slots. If there are a lot of inventory left,
the price goes down and vice versa.
4. The size of the program’s audience can matter based on its rating. A 1 rating equals one
percent of the population in the demographic that you are targeting. The percentage of people
watching this show versus all the people watching television is called share.
5. Negotiation of airtime rates with television is straightforward. You want to buy as many rating
points as you can for the least amount of money. Your job is to look at the ratings and see
which stations will give you the best price on buying rating points in your target demo.
6. Most businesses hire an ad agency that is skilled in airtime negotiation and buying to do it for
them. Since ad agencies and media buying services get an agency discount from station, media
buying services of the agency are free to the business and cost the stations a reduction in
income due to the discount.

Characteristics of Television Advertisement

1. Humor
2. Relatable characters and situation
3. A simple, upbeat storyline
4. Dialogue
5. Emotional resonance
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Electronic Media

Figure 1: What is Television Advertising?

http://www.althos.com/tutorial/images/TV-advertising-tutorial-Television-Ads.jpg

Radio
This is similar but does not give the audience visuals, just sound. This method of electronic
media can be effective and much more affordable than television but does not engage the listeners
as much as visual ads. This is the oldest form of electronic media. There are hundreds of radio
stations across the world and advertisements are frequent features on most of these.
Radio Scripts should answer the following questions:
1. What’s the purpose of the ad? What would you like to achieve?
2. What’s the offer or key benefits?
3. Who is your target market?
4. What do you want the listener to do?
5. Does the ad require just one voiceover or can you use multiple voiceovers?
6. Is it a 15-second ad or a 30-second ad?
In terms of copywriting, it should have the following features:
1. An attention-grabbing introduction to engage the listener.Less is defiitely more when it
comes to radio scripts. The message needs to be short, sharp, and simple.
2. A powerful offer and benefits to create desire. Radio scripts that rely on sutlety or innuendo
run the risks of confusing listeners. If the radio ad doesn’t tell why a listener should use the
product or service, it is a waste of money.
3. A clear call to action to motivate the listener to act. It maybe a fantastic script but if it fails to
include a clear and strong call to action that makes it easy for the listeners to do what you
want them to, it won’t translate into sales.
Course Module
 4. Write for listeners, not viewers. Do not use descriptive terms and focus on sounds, actions,
and results instead.
5. Repeat your contact information. Most radio ads repeat their contact information three
times.
6. Help the announcer help you. Most of the DJs can make sense of even the most problematic,
amateur scripts.
7. Avoid highly technical jargon, and hard-to-understand words.
8. Use correct punctuation. In radio a double dash means a short pause like ellipses. Hypen
means to pronounce something differently.
9. Underline or capitalize which word you want to emphasized.
10. Avoid alliteration. It can be annoying to the listeners.
11. Read the copy aloud after writing it.Never send out radio copy before reading it out load . It
is an opportunity to aurally proofread it.
12. Time what you’ve written. In one minute, a good announcer can read 100 words . Count
your words and read them aloud. If you can’t get the complete message out in one minute,
rewrite it.
13. Simplicity is a must. Don’t talk down to the listeners.
14. End with an invitation to listen further, to call your company, to challenge the claim, to visit
the site, to take the offer, or to buy.

Buying Airtime in Radio for Commercial

1. Plan early and negotiate a long term (13-26 weeks) or yearly contract.
2. Many stations offered the standard 60-second commercial. Some stations may offer just a
billboard or blink ad – a 5 second, name only mention. It is attractive to advertisers on a
budget. If you can get your message across quickly, these shorter durations may be for you.
3. ROS (Run of Station) commercial is also known as rotator spot. These are lower -priced
commercials with a broad window of airtime although there are usually no guarantees
when your commercial will be air. This is usually around 6.a.m to midnight.
4. Fringe are the days that are less in demand or not as highly rated as other time slots and
are priced accordingly. Consider middday, evenings, or weekends, when rates on many
staations are less expensive than during weekday drive times.
5. Radio stations allow businesses to spoonsor certain on-air features, such as news, traffic, or
weather report. These typically include a sponsorship mention.
6. To add value to your radio campaign, you may want to sponsor a radio station event as part
of your advertising.
7. Cross Promotion is a big thing. For example, a supermarket may advertise a discounted
ticket to an arrea attraction with the purchase of specific food items.
8. Co-op Advertising funds may be provided by a manufacturer whose products the retailer
sells.the amount of funding the retailer receives is generally based upon meeting a sales
benchmark of the manufacture’s product.
9. Most radio stations have websites and stream or broadcast their programming online. For
a minimal investment, advertisers can add value to their on-air radio campaign by also
advertising on the station’s website.

Characteristics of Radio Advertisement

1. It should broadcast at perfect timing.
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Electronic Media

2. It should have a good number of frequencies in a day.

3. It should have a remarkable jingle.
4. It should be emotional.
5. It should target its prospect and customers.
6. It should be creative.
7. It should be appealing.
8. It should create curiosity in the mind of the consumer.
9. It should be entreating.

Figure 2: Radio Advertising

http://www.superagentslive.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/radio-advertising-graphic-
1024x446.png

Glossary
Air Time: This is the time or any part of the time when a radio or television station is on
the air.
Cross Advertising: This is the form of marketing promotion where customers of one
product or service are targeted with promotion of a related product.
Jingle: This is a short slogan, verse, or tune designed to be easily remembered, especially
used in advertising.
Proofread: This is to read and correct mistakes in a sentence. Also, this is a galley proof
or an electronic copy of a publication to detect and correct production errors of text or
art.
Rate Card: This is a document containing prices and descriptions for the various ad
placement options available from a media outlet.

Course Module
References and Supplementary Materials
Books and Journals
Arens, William & Weigold, Michael. (2013). Contemporary advertising and integrated
marketing communications (15 th ed.). USA: Mc Graw Hill Education.
Biagi, Shirley. (2007). Media impact: An introduction to mass media. USA: Thomson
Learning Academic Resource Center.
Thorson, Esther & Duffy, Margareth. (2012). Advertising age, the principle of advertising
and marketing communication at work. USA. South-Western Cengage Learning.
Online Supplementary Reading Materials
Electronic Media Advertising. Electronic Media Advertising Rates. Cutting Tool
Engineering. https://www.ctemag.com/advertise/electronic-media-advertising.
Accessed on 1995.
What are the Different Types of Electronic Media? Hannah Barton.
Technologu.blutit.com/1403288/what-are-the-different-types-electronic-media.
Accessed on 2016.
What is Electronic Advertising? Brittany Cheadle. Skillmaker.
www.akillmaker.edu.au/electronic-advertising/. Accessed on July 2015.
Online Instructional Videos
Presentation of Electronic Media. Syamin Shafini.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoBpk-IhKGw. Published on April 20, 2015.
Writing for Electronic Media. lpctelevision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5Wo0_aFp0c. Published on January 28,
2014.

Learning Icons

Fast Fact – It requires only a few seconds to

communicate through electronic media because it
supports quick transmission.
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Electronic Media

Quick Tips – When selecting an electronic media,

the media buyer must consider the following:
budget, campaign objectives, target audience, and
focus.

What To Remember – An electronic press kit is a

must for anyone seeking exposure and publicity as
an artist. It should have the contact information,
short biography, your pictures, quotes from people
about your work, press coverage, gig or show
information, and links to your professional work.

Course Module
What To Follow – Be ready to spend a lot of money
for electronic advertising. There are many ways to
save money, but advertising is not the place to cut
corners. Doing so will affect the sales and that
affects the bottom line. Successful advertising may
cost some money, but that is because it works.