Media Buying Guidelines

These Media Buying Guidelines were designed by ERA’s Television Council for the following purposes:

  • Help define basic practices in the media-buying business.
  • Strengthen the relationship between media buyers and sellers.
  • Enhance the consistency and credibility of the electronic retailing industry.
    Bookings

All bookings made with broadcast stations and national/local cable networks should be made in writing and include the following:

  1. Date
  2. Program Version No.
  3. Day
  4. Time Period
  5. Name of Agency/Company Purchasing Media
  6. Name of Advertiser
  7. Show Title
  8. Toll-Free Number
  9. Rate Paid

Any cancellations should be made at least two weeks prior to air date. If a show is booked at the last minute, buyers should overnight payment to stations unless an alternative method is mutually agreed upon. Bookings made by multiple buyers should include the following:

  1. Name of Agency/Company Purchasing Media
  2. Name of Advertiser
  3. Show Title
  4. Toll-Free Number

Show Title Allocations

  • Any changes made to the current schedule/allocation should be labeled "revision" and include all the information listed under "bookings." Buyers should communicate changes to stations/networks by both telephone and fax.
  • To ensure that schedules run as ordered, traffic instructions should be sent to the stations/networks.
  • When a half-hour time period is booked, be sure to give the title to the stations/networks.
  • Toll-free numbers are used to ensure the correct version of a show will air. At all times, the buyer should send the toll-free number with the title. Any title changes should be made before stations/networks close their program logs.
  • In instances when tapes might contain questionable material, buyers should be prepared to send a review tape to the stations/networks. (Some networks review every tape.)

Product Categories

  • Buyers should provide stations/networks with the product category of the infomercial to help avoid consecutively running shows with competing products.
  • Stations and networks should not run back-to-back shows within the same product category, however, media buyers should check at the time of booking to determine whether similar product categories will air either immediately before or immediately after their infomercials.

Traffic/Instructions/Allocation Sheets

Traffic instructions that are sent to stations/networks should include all the following information:

  1. Current Date
  2. Show Title/Version No.
  3. First Air Date and/or Instructions for Future Use
  4. Agency/Company Contact
  5. Name of Station/Network
  6. Station/Network Contact
  7. Category of Infomercial
  8. Name of Advertiser
  9. Directions for Existing In-House Versions
  10. Toll-Free Number
  11. Show Length

Tape/Identification

Air tapes sent to stations/networks should always be labeled with the following:

  1. Name of Agency/Company Purchasing Media
  2. Name of Advertiser
  3. Show Title
  4. Toll-Free Number

Station Communications

  • Any communications between buyers and stations/networks involving schedule revisions, confirmations, and cancellations, should provide the advertiser/client, with the show title and toll-free number.
  • All communications between buyers and stations/networks should be in writing and allow appropriate time for follow-up. Buyers should establish a main contact with whom they can confirm tape delivery, cancellations, and so on, at each station/network.

Programming Approval

  • Buyers must retain view tapes, affidavits, and testimonial releases of shows for which they purchase media.
  • Buyers will provide view tapes to stations/networks upon request. Buyers will check with individual stations/networks for unique program needs.

Multiple Agency Bookings

  • Be sure to provide specific toll-free numbers when communicating with stations/networks to prevent the airing of an incorrect version of a show.
    Payments to Stations and Networks
  • Cash-in-advance payments should be delivered to the stations/networks one week before a show's airdate. This recommendation varies from station to station, but some stations remove shows if no payment has been received.
  • The form of payment required varies among stations/networks. Buyers should verify the expected form of payment.

Check stubs accompanying payments should include the following information:

  1. Name of Agency/Company Purchasing Media
  2. Client Name/Advertiser
  3. Show Title/Version No.
  4. Toll-Free Number
  5. Air Date
  6. Time Period
  7. Gross/Net Rate

Affidavits of Performance

  • Affidavits from stations and networks generally are sent monthly. Be sure stations/networks list air date, starting air time, and gross rate for every telecast on the invoice/affidavit. Be sure stations/networks indicate appropriate toll-free numbers.
  • Buyers should request stations/networks to invoice them separately-by advertiser, and by product.

Reconciliation

  • Refund policies vary. Buyers should contact stations/networks to learn individual procedures.

Buyers should provide specific instructions for affidavits that are invoiced at different rates. Their directions should indicate which of the following actions to take:

  1. Apply Funds
  2. Automatically Reassign Funds
  3. Prepare a Credit Memo
  4. Cancel a Revised Contract and Create a New One

Closed Captioning Requirements

The following outlines the FCC's closed captioning rules as they pertain to direct response advertisers. Please note that there are additional requirements for broadcasters of video programming that are not listed in this update. For a complete report, please contact the FCC directly or visit the FCC's website

What is Closed Captioning?

By pushing a button on the remote control, closed captioning allows a viewer to read the dialogue as a program is airing. This feature enables more than 24 million hearing-impaired Americans to understand programs and advertising messages.

Overview of Closed Captioning

Regulation As of January 1, 2000, the FCC will require all broadcasters of video programming (i.e., television stations, cable operators, satellite providers, etc.) to provide at least 450 hours of captioned programming per calendar quarter or five hours per day. Although this amount is less than 21 percent of a station's programming hours, the amount of captioned programming required will increase over the next six years to 95 percent.

How Does This Affect Advertisers?

English language advertising of five minutes or more will be required to comply with closed captioning rules. However, it will be up to each station to decide when long-form advertisers will be required to comply.

Are There Exceptions To The Rule?

The pertinent exceptions to advertising are as follows:

  • Programs that were first published or exhibited before January 1, 1998 (Note: Revisions of existing shows are not exempt.) However, full compliance will be required by 2006;
  • Non-English-language programming;
  • Programming that is distributed between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. local time (some stations air only paid programming during this time); and
  • Advertising of less than five minutes in duration.

Is the Advertiser Responsible for Closed Captioning?

Yes. The producer will supply you or your dub house with a master tape of your infomercial without the closed captioning component. The advertiser will have to contract with a facility that can handle the closed captioning process.

Who Handles the Closed Captioning of my Master?

Closed captioning can be handled a number of ways. The most common is to use a facility that specializes in closed captioning. Most dub houses do not currently have the equipment necessary to incorporate closed captioning in your master. In such cases, the dub house will send your master tape to a facility that can accommodate your needs at no additional cost. Please contact the ERA offices for a list of companies that specialize in closed captioning.

Are There Different Styles of Closed Captioning?

The two most common styles of closed captioning are the "roll-up" style which scrolls continuously from the bottom of the screen and the "pop-up" style which are timed and placed on the screen to identify speakers. The "pop-up" style is preferred for infomercials because the captions will not block pertinent ordering information at the bottom of the screen.

How Long Does the Process Take?

It usually takes between 3-7 business days depending on the facility. The process includes transcription of the program and encoding of the words in areas that do not conflict with the sale of the product.