Recluse
04-13-2009, 06:41 PM
After reading the "boycott" and "ABC" posts, I absolutely admire the passion generated, but only one response was close to hitting the mark.
If you really want to get the network and local station's attention, here is how you do it:
First, you have to understand that sitcoms and other programming (excluding news) is basically revenue neutral. That is, the income they generate is solely dependent upon advertisers, but the networks themselves rarely "produce" the shows/sitcoms/series. Executive producers put up the money, then negotiate the compensation package with the network, who then in turn negotiates the advertising rates with existing and prospective advertisers.
News programs, be they local news, news magazines, etc, are revenue negative. That is to say, they COST the station and/or network money to produce as they are produced up front and the cost of production (salaries, equipment, set costs, etc) is born by the station for local; and by networks for national.
Media reps sell broadcast advertising in several basic packages--including sponsorships for specific shows/series. Good example would be Hallmark sponsored series/productions.
The biggest way advertising is sold is called ROS--Run Of Station. This means that an advertiser, like say Cast Boolits (CB) would pay $100,000 for a month's worth of advertising for ABC, with no specific programs targeted.
The advertising and programming directors then take our Cast Boolits TV spots (which we paid to produce) and insert them randomly as well as to "fill slots" within the daily programming run.
Most advertisers have no idea when/where their spots will show up--only how many times they'll show up (which is known and "frequency" in the biz). Where they show up, such as on heavily viewed programs such as ABC's Monday Night Football, is known in the biz as "Reach."
Networks live--and die--on advertising weight, which is Reach multiplied by Frequency. It is this weight that determines the price and value of advertising.
Our agency was representing Taco Bell some years ago and we had bought a ROS schedule with Fox. We had been to their Premier Party in New York, where agencies and advertisers are invited to preview upcoming new shows, episodes and features. During the Premier Party, we saw previews for a reality show whose theme was basically trying to get couples to cheat on each other.
We were told in no uncertain terms by Tricor (now known as Yum! Brands) that Taco Bell's advertising was NOT to seen anywhere near this new Fox reality show. We made that crystal clear to the Fox reps, including their VP of Advertising. We were a top ten agency, and were spending almost half a billion dollars of Taco Bell's marketing budget. We had clout.
Long story short, a Taco Bell spot aired on this show. I was one of several dozen in our agency watching this show's premier to ensure that our advertising did not appear on this show. And when it did, I immediately called our (agency's) media VP (who was also watching the show with her husband), who in turn called Fox. In less than five minutes, the (Fox) network was told they stood to instantly lose over $100 million in advertising if one more Taco Bell spot aired on that--or any other--episode. Turns out NOBODY wanted to advertise on that show, so our spots got "slipped in" hoping we wouldn't notice.
It took Fox less than seven minutes to pull ALL of our spots (we had other clients as well on the ROS) from the episode. The show lasted a few more episodes and was pulled. Despite average to lukewarm rating--which meant people WERE watching--nobody wanted their advertising associated with it.
Get the picture?
Writing the network or station only REINFORCES that you are a viewer. They could care LESS if you like or dislike their content. You are a NUMBER they in turn sell to the advertisers to jack up their rates.
Instead, write to every advertiser you see represented on an anti-gun show/news program and raise holy hell. Threaten to boycott THEIR products, business and service.
It doesn't take many such letters--trust me, I know--for the advertiser's VP of Media to contact the station or network and let them know they will NOT be associated with controversial programming.
And stations, locally owned, get the message quicker than the networks. But networks get the message, too.
Apathy is what the stations and networks count on.
:coffee:
If you really want to get the network and local station's attention, here is how you do it:
First, you have to understand that sitcoms and other programming (excluding news) is basically revenue neutral. That is, the income they generate is solely dependent upon advertisers, but the networks themselves rarely "produce" the shows/sitcoms/series. Executive producers put up the money, then negotiate the compensation package with the network, who then in turn negotiates the advertising rates with existing and prospective advertisers.
News programs, be they local news, news magazines, etc, are revenue negative. That is to say, they COST the station and/or network money to produce as they are produced up front and the cost of production (salaries, equipment, set costs, etc) is born by the station for local; and by networks for national.
Media reps sell broadcast advertising in several basic packages--including sponsorships for specific shows/series. Good example would be Hallmark sponsored series/productions.
The biggest way advertising is sold is called ROS--Run Of Station. This means that an advertiser, like say Cast Boolits (CB) would pay $100,000 for a month's worth of advertising for ABC, with no specific programs targeted.
The advertising and programming directors then take our Cast Boolits TV spots (which we paid to produce) and insert them randomly as well as to "fill slots" within the daily programming run.
Most advertisers have no idea when/where their spots will show up--only how many times they'll show up (which is known and "frequency" in the biz). Where they show up, such as on heavily viewed programs such as ABC's Monday Night Football, is known in the biz as "Reach."
Networks live--and die--on advertising weight, which is Reach multiplied by Frequency. It is this weight that determines the price and value of advertising.
Our agency was representing Taco Bell some years ago and we had bought a ROS schedule with Fox. We had been to their Premier Party in New York, where agencies and advertisers are invited to preview upcoming new shows, episodes and features. During the Premier Party, we saw previews for a reality show whose theme was basically trying to get couples to cheat on each other.
We were told in no uncertain terms by Tricor (now known as Yum! Brands) that Taco Bell's advertising was NOT to seen anywhere near this new Fox reality show. We made that crystal clear to the Fox reps, including their VP of Advertising. We were a top ten agency, and were spending almost half a billion dollars of Taco Bell's marketing budget. We had clout.
Long story short, a Taco Bell spot aired on this show. I was one of several dozen in our agency watching this show's premier to ensure that our advertising did not appear on this show. And when it did, I immediately called our (agency's) media VP (who was also watching the show with her husband), who in turn called Fox. In less than five minutes, the (Fox) network was told they stood to instantly lose over $100 million in advertising if one more Taco Bell spot aired on that--or any other--episode. Turns out NOBODY wanted to advertise on that show, so our spots got "slipped in" hoping we wouldn't notice.
It took Fox less than seven minutes to pull ALL of our spots (we had other clients as well on the ROS) from the episode. The show lasted a few more episodes and was pulled. Despite average to lukewarm rating--which meant people WERE watching--nobody wanted their advertising associated with it.
Get the picture?
Writing the network or station only REINFORCES that you are a viewer. They could care LESS if you like or dislike their content. You are a NUMBER they in turn sell to the advertisers to jack up their rates.
Instead, write to every advertiser you see represented on an anti-gun show/news program and raise holy hell. Threaten to boycott THEIR products, business and service.
It doesn't take many such letters--trust me, I know--for the advertiser's VP of Media to contact the station or network and let them know they will NOT be associated with controversial programming.
And stations, locally owned, get the message quicker than the networks. But networks get the message, too.
Apathy is what the stations and networks count on.
:coffee: