A

Adjacency

An advertising pod positioned next to a particular TV or radio program. Also called commercial break positions.

Advertiser Copy

Courtesy checking copy sent free to advertiser by publisher and reported in audit to arrive at a total distribution.

Advertising Impressions

The audience delivery of media vehicles, programs or schedules. Usually expressed as thousands (000).

Advertising Research Foundation (ARF)

A non-profit organization of advertisers, agencies and the media for promoting advertising effectiveness through objective research.

Advertising Weight

The level of advertising support over a period of time, expressed in gross rating points, impressions, target audience reached, etc.

Affidavit

A statement, usually notarized, accompanying station invoices which confirms that the commercial actually ran at the time stated on the invoice.

Aided Recall

A research technique where the respondent is given aid to help remember all or parts of advertising.

Air Date

The first broadcast of a commercial; also refers to the exact date of a particular TV or radio program.

American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA)

A national association of advertising agencies which promotes and furthers the interests of advertising agencies by increasing their usefulness to advertisers, the media and the public.

Anchor

The member of a news team who coordinates the reports

Application Programing Interface (API)

 An API is a documented interface that allows one software application to to interact with another application. An example of this is the Twitter API.

As It Falls

A testing method whereby the media test market receives the same media weight, purchased locally, as it would receive from a national theoretical plan.

Assignment editor

Staff member of a television or radio news team responsible for judging appropriateness of story ideas assigned to reporter for coverage

Association of Business Publishers

An association of publishers of specialized business publications. It is a source of industry information, produces promotion material concerning business publications, conducts meetings and seminars.

Audience

The people you want to reach

Audience, Pass-Along

Individuals other than addressees who are exposed to some part of the content of a publication.

Audience, Primary

Individuals for whom a magazine is edited and who are exposed to some part of the content, and who receive it first in order of time.

Audit

A formal unbiased check particularly of circulation of advertising media such as by the Audit Bureau of Circulations or Business Publications Audit.

Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC)

An independent, non-profit organization of advertisers, agencies, and the publishers which provides verified audits or the circulations of business publications, general magazines and newspapers.

Audit Report

Annual official findings of an audit bureau as a result of its examination of a medium’s records.

Availability

Unsold units of time available for broadcasters to sell to advertisers. Also refers to a station's submission of programs and rating estimates for advertising planning and buying.

Avatar

An Avatar is an image or username that represents a person online within forums and social networks. 

Average Frequency

The number of times the average person or household is exposed to an advertising schedule. It is always derived from Gross Rating Points and Reach.

Average Net Paid

Average paid circulation permissue arrived at by dividing total circulation of all issues during audit period by number of issues for the audit period.

Average Paid

Average circulation, qualified as paid circulation, of all the issues arrived at by dividing the total of all the paid copies during the period by the total number of issues.

Backbone: edge of magazine, catalog, booklet, brochure or book where pages are secured (bound) and where title may be printed (spine).

Average Quarter-Hour Rating

The audience estimate reported by Nielsen and Arbitron for television and radio. It provides the average number of persons or households who watched/listened for at least 5 minutes of the 15 minute segment being reported.

B

BackType

A social media analytics company that helps companies measure their social engagement. Previously the service started as a blog comment search engine.

Barter

A term used to indicate that advertising was paid for by the advertiser using goods and services rather than cash.

BDI (Brand Development Index)

A measure of the strength of a brand's sales in a particular geographic area indexed to the national sales average.

Bi-Weekly

Publication issued every two weeks.

Bit.ly

A online video sharing site that provides a free and paid platform for individuals and companies who host an online video show. 

Bleed

1. page, illustration or advertisement with inked impression to the trimmed edges; no margin on one or more sides; advertising rate for bleed page is higher than for type page. 2. area on printing plates which extends beyond margin of final trimmed sheet.

Bleed Plate Size

Mechanical requirement for dimensions of printing plate for bleed page considerably larger than trim size and usually larger than overall paper size of page by 1/8-inch top, bottom and outside margins to permit trim on those three sides; specified on rate card and in SRDS listing.

Blip.TV

Blip.TV is Blog - Blog is a word that was created from two words: “web log”. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Blog

A blend of web log. Part of a web site, usually maintained by individuals with regular entries of commentary, events or other material, including video. Entries are displayed in reverse chronological order.

Blogger

A free blogging platform owned by Google that allows individuals and companies to host and publish a blog typically on a subdomain. Example: yourblogname.blogspot.com

BoardReader

 a free search engine that allows users to search for keywords only in posts and titles of online forums, a popular forum of social networking. 

Boilerplate

A brief paragraph stating who you are, what you do, and how you do it, usually used as the first paragraph in a biography or last paragraph in a news release

Bonus Spot

Additional TV or radio spot provided to an advertiser at no charge to raise the overall audience delivery of the schedule.

Bookmark

A routine that allows you to save a reference to a site or page that you have already visited. At a later point in time, you can use a bookmark to return to that page. It commonly refers to a feature of Netscape Navigator (a web browser) that allows you to collect and organize bookmarks of your favorite web sites.

Boxee

A social video application that allows users to watch online videos on their TVs and computers. Users can share and watch videos from a variety of online videos sources for free.

Break Position

A broadcast commercial aired between two programs instead of in the middle of one program.

Breakdown

The division of circulation as to types of business or industry reached, the functions or titles of recipients, and/or their demographic characteristics or geographical location.

Broadcast

To transmit electronically by radio or television

Broadcast Calendar

An industry-accepted calendar used mainly for accounting and billing purposes. Weeks run Monday-Sunday, and each month is four or five weeks long.

Browser

An application used to view and navigate the World Wide Web and other Internet resources.

Bug

Problem with computer software or hardware that causes it to malfunction or crash.

Bulk Sales

1. definitions applicable to Audit Bureau of Circulations: all copies or subscriptions purchased in quantities of five or more which promote the business or professional interest of the purchaser; single copy sales in bulk-sales of copies of a single issue of a publication in quantities of five or more to one purchaser; term subscriptions in bulk-subscriptions for two or more consecutive issues of a publication sold in quantities of five or more to one purchaser. 2. definition applicable to Business Publications Audit of Circulation: two or more copies of publication (whether or not individually wrapped or addressed) sent to a single addressee.

Bulk-Mailing

Third-class postal handling of not lessthan 200 pieces (copies of a publication, for example weighing 20 lbs. or more under a permit or with precanceled stamps) if delivered to post office in bundles sorted by states and cities of address and tied with string.

Bulletin Board System (BBS)

An open computer system that members can dial into in order to send email, join discussion groups, and download files. Since the 1970s, BBS's have provided an early means for home users to get online. Originally, BBS's were freestanding local systems, but now many provide access to Internet email, telnet, FTP, and other Internet services.

Business Press

Publications, advertising media, addressed to those in trade (merchandising trade papers), in production (industrial and vertical papers), in professions (professional), in executive or managerial positions (executive, horizontal) and in hotels, schools, hospitals, etc. (institutional).

Business Publication

A business publication is one dealing with management, manufacturing, sales or operation of industries or businesses, or some specific industry, occupation or professions, and which is published to interest and assist persons actively engaged in the field it covers.

Business Publications Audit of Circulation

(BPA): an independent, non-profit organization of advertisers, agencies, and publishers which provides verified audits of circulation, primarily of business publications but also trade shows.

Byline

The name printed below the title of a newspaper or magazine article, crediting the author

C

Cable TV

A television system by which a single, with antenna or satellite dish receives signals from distant stations and transmits those signals by direct cable to the persons subscribing to the system

CDI (Category Development Index)

A measurement of a brand's sales potential using sales of all brands within a category in a specific market indexed to national sales average.

Center Spread

The two facing center pages of a publication; there is a continuous gutter in the center spread.

Chat

A form of interactive online communication that enables typed conversations to occur in real-time. When participating in a chat discussion, your messages are instantaneously relayed to other members in the chat room while other members' messages are instantaneously relayed to you.

Checking

Process of recording and verifying actual appearance, reproduction and position of advertisement in magazine, newspaper, publication or use on radio stations, television stations, billboards, etc.

Circulation

The distribution of newspapers, magazines, and other print publications

Clip or clipping

A story cut from a publication or a segment cut from a video or audiotape concept story: feature story designed to pique the interest of a certain demographic audience

Close

End of a time period (closing date or hour) in which an advertisement must be received for a certain issue; deadline. 

Collective Intelligence

 a shared or group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration and competition of many individuals and appears in consensus decision-making in social networks.

Column Inch

A unit of newspaper space one column wide and one inch deep (14 agate lines).

Comment

A response that is often provided as an answer of reaction to a blog post or message on a social network. Comments are a primary form of two-way communication on the social web. 

Complimentary Copy

Unpaid distribution, courtesy copy sent to advertisers, advertising agencies and prospects.

Congestion

A state occurring in a part of a network when the message traffic is so heavy that it slows down network response time.

Connection

When two computers have established a path through which the exchange of information can occur.

Contributing reporter or writer

Often used to describe a freelance writer

Cookies

Small files that are downloaded to your computer when you browse certain web pages. Cookies hold information that can be retrieved by other web pages on the site. Some cookies are programmed with an expiration date so that they are automatically deleted after a period of time.

Copy editor

Last professional to see and approve written material before it is delivered to an audience by a media outlet. Responsible for its accuracy, grammar, and length

Copy Protection

A software lock placed on a computer program by its developer to thwart piracy. This preventative measure was widely used in the mid-1980s but later abandoned by many developers because of numerous customer complaints.

Corporate fact sheet

One-page document that describes a company's principles, services, philosophy, fees. Includes address, telephone, fax and e-mail, and map to allow prospective clients or reporters to easily find a business

Cost per Lead (CPL)

The average cost of television media to generate one lead or telephone call requesting more information on the product.

Cost Per Rating Point (Cost Per Point, CPP, Cost Per GRP)

The cost to reach one percent of the universe, households or individuals, in a given market or geographic area.

Cost Per Thousand (CPM)

The cost to reach 1,000 units of audience, households or individuals, for advertising. Used as a measure of efficiency among media and media schedules.

Coverage Area

The specific geography where a media vehicle has its coverage. In broadcast, coverage usually describes the area to which the station's signal extends. In print, coverage usually means the circulation area.

CPA

Cost per action

CPC

Cost per click

CPM

Cost per 1,000 impressions

CRM

Customer relationship management

CTR

Click through rate

Cume (Cumulative Audience)

Another way of expressing reach. The total number of different people or households exposed to advertising at least once during the media schedule.

Cut-In

A commercial inserted by the local station that covers the commercial airing at the same time on the network at the advertiser's request. Useful for testing different copy in a limited geography.

D

Daypart

One of the time segments into which the day is divided by broadcast media, determined by type of programming and who provides it (network or local).

Designated Market Area (DMA)

Nielsen's term for geographical areas made up of exclusive counties based on which home market stations receive the predominant share of viewing.

Direct Mail Advertising

Any printed material sent through the mail directly to prospective customers.

Direct Response Advertising

Any advertising message that calls for a prompt response to purchase a product or request more information.

Domain Name

The official name of a computer connected to the Internet. Domain names are derived from a hierarchical system, with a host name followed by a top-level domain category. The top-level domain categories are com (for commercial enterprises), org (for non-profit organizations), net (for network services providers), mil (for the military), and gov (for government).

Domain Name System (DNS)

A database system which looks up host IP addresses based upon domain names. For example if you ask for "www.thisismyhost.com" it will return 123.45.67.89. Copies of the Domain Name System are distributed through the Internet.

Double Truck

A newspaper ad unit that uses two facing full pages, including the gutter or fold.

Download

To transfer data from a larger "host" system to a smaller "client" system's hard drive or other local storage device. See also upload.

Drive Time

The dayparts used in radio to signify primary listening being done in cars. Generally considered to be Monday-Friday 6- 10 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. HUT-(Households Using Television) - a broadcast research term indicating the percent of homes with sets on during a specific time period.

Dub

Copy of TV or radio appearance on video or audiotape

Duplication

The number or percent of the target audience in one media vehicle also exposed to another vehicle.

E

Earned Rate

Cost of advertising based on advertiser’s actual volume and frequency (where these affect the rate) during a contract rate specified in the original agreement.

Editing

The act of rewriting, viewing, listening, and cutting print publications, video, or audio in order to perfect the story

Editor

The person who edits stories for reporters

Editorial

1. the non-advertising part of a publication. 2. article expressing the policy of the publication or the view of the editor.

Editorial calendar

The listing of specific times a publication will focus on special sections or special news reporting

Efficiency

The ratio of cost to size of audience used to compare media vehicles, plans or schedules.

Eform

An electronic form that is filled out by a user and sent over a network. They are typically used to place orders or provide feedback. Eforms can be placed on web pages or in Java applets and usually contain text boxes, buttons, and other components.

Emoticon

A cute sideways face created by using special characters on the keyboard. Used to express emotions without words. For example, this winking face ;-) indicates “I'm joking”, this sad face :-( expresses sadness or “I'm sulking”. If this makes no sense, turn your head sideways and look again. Also known as a “smiley”.

Encryption

A procedure that renders the contents of a message or file unintelligible to anyone not authorized to read it. PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is a commonly-used encryption program.

F

Facebook

 a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. Facebook is the largest social network in the world with more than 500 million users. 

FAQ

Acronym for Frequently Asked Questions. A reference document created for particular topic or group that answers to common beginners' questions. It is considered poor Netiquette to ask a question without first reading the FAQ.

Firefox

An open-source web browser. It has emerged as one of the most popular web browsers on the Internet and allows users to customize their browser through the use of third-party extensions. 

First Refusal

The opportunity for an advertiser to extend sponsorship rights of a program or vehicle before it is offered to another advertiser.

Fixed Position

An advertising position which remains fixed over time, such as the inside cover of a magazine.

Flickr

A social network based around online picture sharing. The service allows users to store photos online and then share them with others through profiles, groups, sets and other methods. 

Flighting

A technique for extending advertising dollars using periods of media activity interspersed with periods of inactivity.

Flow Chart

A calendar which dimensionalizes media activity over time, usually a year.

Forums

Also known as a message board, a forum is an online discussion site. It originated as the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dialup  bulletin board system.

Four-Color Process

Technique for reproducing color illustrations by a set of four process plates (one of which prints all the yellows, another the blues, a third the reds, the fourth the blacks, not necessarily in that order).

Foursquare

A social network in which friends share their locations and connect with others in close physical proximity to each other. The service uses a system of digital badges to reward players who “checkin” to different types of locations. 

Freelancer

Writer who sells writing services and is not under regular contract to any one publication

Frequency

The number of times a publication comes out in a given period of time, such as daily, weekly, quarterly, etc.

FTP

File transfer protocol

Full Position

Preferred position location of an advertisement generally following and next to reading matter, or top of column next to reading matter; when specifically ordered, it costs more than run-of-paper advertising.

G

Gate-Fold

A 4-page sheet, creased and folded approximately half-way of its width so as to bind one end and to open (like a gate) to double-page size, avoiding the loss of space in the gutter of a two page spread.

Ghostwriter

Person writing articles or speeches for another person who claims authorship

Google Chrome

 a free web browser produced by Google that fully integrates into its online search system as well as other applications. 

Gross Impressions

The combined audiences of several media vehicles or several announcements within a vehicle, leaving in the duplication among the audiences.

Gross Rating Points (GRP's)

The sum of individual ratings in a media plan.

H

Half-Page Island Position

Preferred position (not always sold) for advertisement with no other advertisement adjacent on other half of page; often no other ad on same page; on 3-column page usually 2 columns wide and three-fourths of page in depth.

Hashtag

A tag used on the social network Twitter as a way to annotate a message. A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a “#”.

Heavy-up

An increase in advertising activity for a limited period of time.

Hiatus

A scheduled period of inactivity between advertising flights.

Hit

A single user accessing a single file from a web server. A unit of measure often used erroneously to evaluate the popularity of a web site.

Host

A computer that allows users to communicate with other host computers on a network.

HTML

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is a programing language for web pages. Think of HTML as the brick-and-mortar of pages on the web -- it provides content and structure while CSS supplies style. HTML has changed over the years and it is on the cusp of its next version: HTML5.

Hyperlink

A highlighted word or picture within a hypertext document that when clicked takes you to another place within the document or to another document altogether.

Hypertext

Text that includes links or shortcuts to other documents, allowing the reader to easily jump from one text to related texts, and consequentially from one idea to another, in a non-linear fashion. Coined by Ted Nelson in 1965.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

The protocol used by the World Wide Web to transfer HTML files.

I

I.B.C.

Inside back cover (also called third cover).

I.F.C.

Inside front cover (also called second cover).

Icon

A small graphic image that represents a file or application and when clicked upon produces a programmed result. Use of this mnemonic convention originated at Xerox PARC and was subsequently popularized by the Apple Macintosh. Producing an effective icon is non-trivial because of size and color restraints. See iconographer.

ID

Station identification of its call letters and location, channel or frequency. Also refers to any commercial message less than ten seconds long.

Identity Hacking

Posing as someone else. Posting anonymously or pseudonymously, usually with the intent to deceive.

Indicia

A page in a publication which contains name of publication, date of issue, frequency, serial number, publication office, subscription price and notice of entry to appear within first five pages of issue. 2. markings on bulk mail that take the place of postage stamps, cancellation and postmarks.

Infomercial

A long (more than two minutes) commercial providing extensive product/service description and sales information.

Insert

1. in letters or packages, an enclosure with information on the product and its uses or an advertising message. 2. in periodicals, a page or pages, printed completely or partially by the advertiser, or for him, and forwarded to the publisher, who binds it up in the publication; usually in colors and on heavier stock than the periodical. 3. an extra negative put in some area of the main negative before printing and etching the plate. 4. new copy to be incorporated in a story or other editorial matter.

Insertion Order

Written instructions from the advertiser or agency authorizing a publication to run a specific advertisement in a specific issue. Also specifies cost per ad and size of ad, as well as any request for special position in the publication.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

A technology offered by telephone carriers that allows for the rapid transfer of voice and data.

Internet

A worldwide network of networks that all use the TCP/IP communications protocol and share a common address space. First incarnated as the ARPANET in 1969, the Internet has metamorphosed from a military internetwork to an academic research internetwork to the current commercial internetwork. It commonly supports services such as email, the World Wide Web, file transfer, and Internet Relay Chat. The Internet is experiencing tremendous growth in the number of users, hosts, and domain names. It is gradually subsuming other media, such as proprietary computer networks, newspapers, books, television, and the telephone. Also known as “the net”, “the information superhighway”, and “cyberspace”. See also domain, and Domain Name Service.

Internet Explorer

A free web browser application from Microsoft.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

A business that delivers access to the Internet, usually for a monthly fee. PSI, UUNET, and Netcom are examples of established ISPs but there are thousands of smaller ones all around the world.

Intranet

A private network that uses Internet-related technologies to provide services within an organization.

IP address

A string of four numbers separated by periods (such as 111.22.3.444) used to represent a computer on the Internet. The format of the address is specified by the Internet Protocol in RFC 791. When a PC accesses the Internet through an ISP, it sometimes receives a temporary IP address.

Island Position

Advertising location on page where it is completely surrounded by non-advertising matter,that is by editorial text, editorial illustration and/or margins and gutter.

Issue

All the copies of a newspaper, magazine or

Publication distributed at the same time and with the

Same data (date of issue).

J

Java

An object oriented programming language created by Sun Microsystems. Java is a device independent language, meaning that programs compiled in Java can be run on any computer. Java programs can be run as a free-standing application or as an applet placed on a web page. Applets written in Java are served from a web site but executed on the client computer. Java applets have a built-in security feature which prevents them from accessing the file system of the client computer. See also applet. Here is the Java version of “Hello World!”: class HelloWorld {public static void main (String args[]) {System.out.println("Hello World!"); }}

L

Lead Generation

Proceeding in two steps; involves an offer where the viewer is asked to call a toll-free number for more information. An inbound sales rep captures the name, address, and phone number of the potential customer. Free information is sent in the form of letters, brochures, videotapes and/or product samples.  If the lead doe not respond additional information is sent.  The advertiser may follow up a lead, additionally or exclusively, with outbound telemarketing.

Link

A highlighted word or picture within a hypertext document that when clicked bring you to another place within the document or to another document altogether. See also hyperlink.

Link Building

 an aspect of search engine optimization in which website owners develop strategies to generate links to their site from other websites with the hopes of improving their search engine ranking. Blogging has emerged as a popular method of link building.

Logotype or Logo

Two or more letters or a whole word or distinctive setting of a name, cast as a single piece of metal; a standardized pattern as for the advertiser’s name or trademark.

Long Form

Any television commercial longer than two minutes. (Usually, but not always, 30 minutes in length.)

M

Magazine

A periodical, usually bound, generally published monthly or more frequently.

Mailing List

A discussion group that occurs via mass email distributions. Mailing lists are usually maintained by individuals utilizing list server software. List servers maintain a list of email addresses to be used for the mailing list. Subscribing and unsubscribing to the list is accomplished by sending a properly formatted email message to the list server.

Makegood

Comparable unit of advertising offered at no charge when the original spot or ad did not run or ran incorrectly.

Market Analysis or Market Survey

That branch of commercial research that measures and evaluates the possible or actual sales of a product; distinguished from marketing analysis or marketing research, the study of methods of selling and promoting the product.

Masthead

List of editors, publishers, and senior reporters in each publication's issue. It includes an address and telephone number

Mechanical

Assembly (paste-up) of the elements of an ad on layout paper or board to indicate position and size from reproduction.

Mechanical Requirements

Heading on rate cards under which appear the publication’s specifications about plate sizes, number and width of columns, screen of halftones, etc.

Media

Reporters, editors, and producers, or print publications, broadcast programs, and online magazines

Media outlet

A publication or broadcast program that transmits news and feature stories to the public through any distribution channel

Media Survey

A survey to measure the penetration of a particular medium into one or several markets.

Mediamark Research Inc. (MRI)

A syndicated research source measuring print and broadcast media audiences and product/brand usage profiles.

Merchandising

1. buying and selling goods and all their functions; sometimes excluding advertising and salesmanship; adjusting purchases to sales possibilities; product planning for profitable distribution. 2. any activity that makes advertising or other promotion more effective, especially by calling it to the attention of influences that might otherwise overlook it as by means of preprints or reprints of ads, enlargements for point-of-sales material, furnishing lists of dealers, etc.

Merchandising Service

Any publication service that increases the effectiveness of advertising by translating it into advantages for dealers, retailers, and salespeople and by projecting the advertiser’s message beyond the publication’s usual circulative channels, includes use of advertising in point-of-sales displays, direct mail, etc. 

Merchant Account

A contracted agreement between a merchant or business owner selling a product and the credit card company responsible for collecting the sale proceeds. The most common types involve the big three: VISA, Master Card, AMEX, or their derivatives.

Meta Tag

A specific kind of HTML tag containing information not displayed to the user.

Mirror Site

A server which contains a duplicate of another WWW or FTP site. Mirror sites are created when the traffic on the original site becomes too heavy for a single server. Often mirror sites are located in different geographic areas allowing users to choose the site closest to them.

Month Preceding

In specifying closing dates for advertisements, the month before publication date of the magazine or publication.

N

Nanosecond

A measurement of time. There are 1,000,000,000 nanoseconds in a second.

Negative

Photographic film with image reversed (mirror-wise, left for right, type matter reading backward) and black for white, white for black, source of the positive, final picture.

Net

The amount paid to the advertising medium by the advertising agency after deducting the agency commission.

Net Cost

Advertising rates which do not include advertising agency commission and/or include discounts.

Net Lingo

The slang commonly used on the Internet.net.police. Those who feel it's their appointed role to flame perceived violations of Netiquette.

Net Paid Circulation

Classification of audit consisting of average number of mail subscriptions paid by purchasers and not for resale (with arrears included or not as publisher elects) plus net single copy sales.

Net Single Copy Sale

Sale of a publication through any retail outlet, including newsstands but excluding mail, with the returns deducted.

Net Surfing

Browsing or exploring a network or the World Wide Web to find places of interest, usually without a specific goal in mind. Analogous to channel surfing with a TV remote control.

Netiquette

Network etiquette, or the set of informal rules of behavior that have evolved in Cyberspace, including the Internet and online services.

Netlag

A condition that occurs on the Internet in which response time is greatly slowed due to heavy traffic.

Netnews

The content of USENET.

Network

A group of computers or devices that are connected together for the exchange of data and sharing of resources.

Network

Chain of broadcast or radio stations controlled and operated as a unit, often using the same editorial material

Network Affiliate

A television or radio station that designates a portion of its air time for network programs.

Newsgroup

A public place where messages are posted for public consumption and response. The most available distribution of newsgroups is USENET which contains over ten thousand unique newsgroups covering practically every human proclivity. The names of newsgroups are comprised of a string of words separated by periods, such as “rec.humor.funny” or “misc.jobs.offered”. The first word (i.e. “rec” or “misc”) represents the top level category of newsgroups. The second word (in these examples “humor” and “jobs”) represents a subcategory of the first level, and the third word a subcategory of the second.

Non-Qualified Distribution

That circulation which doesn’t conform to the field served and definition of recipient qualification.

O

Official Organ

Periodical owned by an association or group which is organized for other purposes than publishing the periodical and which makes the periodical its appointed mouthpiece.

Offline

As an adjective, not connected to a computer network.

One-Time Rate

Advertising charge for a single insertion, or for any amount of space and any number of insertions if the paper has a flat rate; a rate subject to no discounts.

Online

Currently connected to a host, opposite of offline.

Open Rate

The basic rate for advertising, same as one-time.

Overnights

Audience data provided by Nielsen or Arbitron to metered market clients the day after the broadcast.

P

Paid Subscriber

Purchaser of publication of a term contract whose subscription qual- ifies as paid circulation in accordance with established rules.

Paid-On-Delivery Subscription

Term subscription, the price for each issue of which is collected when it is delivered or, in case an advance payment is made with order, the prorated balance is collected at time of delivery of each issue.

Pass-Along Circulation

Copies of a publication that come to the attention of others than the subscriber, since he/she makes them available to some non-subscribers.

Path

The hierarchical description of where a directory, folder, or file is located on your computer or on a network 

Penetration

The degree to which a medium or vehicle has coverage in a specific area. Can also refer to the effectiveness of advertising's impact on consumers.

Per Inquiry (P.I.)

Agreement between a media owner and an advertiser where the advertiser pays the owner for advertising on the basis of the number of inquiries or completed sales from the advertising.

Perfect Binding

Method that produces flat opening, as in telephone directories; distinguished from side (saddle) stitching.

PHP

Programming language used for creating software that is part of a web site.

Piggyback

Back-to-back scheduling of two or more brand commercials of one advertiser in network or spot positions.

Positive

1. film made from a negative that reproduces light and shade as in the original subject and can be used for projection. 2. generally, not reversed (see negative); a mat, or matrix is positive, a stereo is negative.

Post

To send a message to a public area like a BBS or newsgroup where it can be read by many others.

Pre-emption

The substitution of one advertiser's local TV commercial by another advertiser paying a higher price for the spot, or by a different program of interest.

Pre-Print

A printing of an advertisement before its actual magazine or newspaper publication to give it earlier publicity; especially to inform distributors of the coming campaign.

Preferred Position

Specified extra-price of choice advertising location.

Premium Position

Special preferred advertising position generally sold at a higher rate than runof-paper.

Promotion Copies

Copies sent to prospective advertisers and their agencies.

Psychographic

Describes consumers on the basis of some psychological trait, characteristics or life style.

Public relations

A variety of skills and tactics developed to create favorable opinion for a person, event, or product that ultimately supports the firm's bottom line. You turn to a public relations firm to help you achieve media coverage.

Publication

Newspaper, magazine, or newsletter with information, news, and feature stories, usually produced to be sold or as a service to members of associations or organizations

Publisher’s Interim Statement

Certified circulation and distribution statement of publisher made at the publisher’s option for a period other than that of a regular six months’ Publisher’s Statement and issued unaudited, but subject to audit; not applicable to BPA.

Publisher’s Statement

Certified statement of circulation and distribution data for a six-month period made by a publisher and issued unaudited, but subject to audit.

PVT/PUT (Persons Viewing or Using Television)

The percent of individuals viewing all television stations during a specific time period, indicating total viewing to TV in general, not to a specific program or station.

Q

Qualified Recipients

Recipients who receive every issue of the publication and who meet the publisher’s definition of recipient qualification within a field served.

Quantity Discount

Price allowance for volume purchase (especially of advertising) at one time or within a specified period of time.

Query

A general question posed to a person or group over the Internet.Internet users are generally so helpful that if one asks an appropriate query to the correct discussion group, one will often receive many useful responses. One caveat: it is necessary to find and read the appropriate FAQ document first. Failure to do so would be considered a waste other people's time and bandwidth.

Quintile

The division of the audience or sample into five equal groups ranging from heaviest to lightest amount of exposure to any medium.

R

R.O.P.

Run-of-paper position; any location or position in a publication convenient to publisher; distinguished from specific preferred position.

R.O.S. (Run Of Schedule or Run Of Station)

A broadcast schedule, similar to R.O.P. where specific programs and air times have not been requested by the advertiser.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

The working memory of the computer into which application programs can be loaded and executed. It helps to have more of this "working space" installed when running advanced operating systems and applications.

Rate Card

A statement by a medium showing advertising costs, issue dates, program names, closing dates, requirements, cancellation dates, etc.

Rating

An estimate of the size of an audience expressed as one percent of the total population.

Reach

The unduplicated percent of a potential audience exposed to advertising one or more times during a given period.

Read Receipts

An optional email feature that notifies you when a recipient has opened the email message you sent him. See also delivery receipts.

Readership

 1. ratio of those actually reading it to the total circulation of a medium or to the estimated number who see the medium; where the ratio is 2 to 1 or more, that is multiple or pass-along readership. 2. varying degree in which parts of an advertising medium (editorial or advertising) are read.

Readership Survey

An investigation of the degree to which a publication or some part of it, especially the advertising in general or a particular advertisement, is read.

README File

A text file included with an application that contains important (and often last minute) information about installing and using the application.

A text file on an FTP site that provides valuable information about the context of site.

Any text file that you are supposed to read before proceeding.

Real-Time Search

 the method of indexing content being published online into search engine results with virtually no delay. 

Rebate

1. refund of advertising payment when less space is used than originally charged for. 2. refund, as of advertising payment, because of error or reduced circulation.

Refresh

To clear the screen or part of the screen and redraw it again.

Remote Login

Operating a remote computer over a network as if it were a local computer. This can be accomplished via one of several protocols, including telnet and the UNIX program rlogin.

Removals

Names of individuals or companies removed from the mailing list of a publication.

Renewals

A subscription which has been renewed prior to or at expiration or within six months

There after.

Response Time

A measurement of the time between a request for information over a network and the network's fulfillment of that request. "Overall response time" is an aggregate or average measurement of various response times over a particular network or through a particular host.

Roadblocking

A scheduling technique where a brand's commercial airs at approximately the same time on all three networks or on all stations in a given market.

Roll Out

An advertising technique where advertising is expanded to cover more and more markets as distribution/ product sales are also expanded.

RSS

Rich site summary used for sharing content, such as, news articles.

S

Saddle Stitching

Stapling pages, sections, or signatures together with wire from the outside fold along the fold to the center spread; distinguished from side stitching.

Screen

The unit of measurement for fineness of a halftone according to the number of cross-ruled lines to an inch; 50-65 screen, coarse, for newspaper reproduction; 120-133 screen, fine, for periodicals.

Screen Density

Degree of fineness or coarseness of the halftone screen; also called screen percentage.

Scribd

Turns document formats such as PDF, Word and PowerPoint into a web document for viewing and sharing online.

Search Engine Optimization

The process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a website from search engines via unpaid or organic search traffic.

Separation, Color

Isolation on separate negatives by the use of color filters (or by applying acid-resisting paint to the plate) of the parts of an illustration to be printed in each different color.

Separation, Negative

Negative obtained by separating color copy into its basic colors by means of filters.

Serif

The fine line or stroke crossing or projecting from the tip of type characters in certain faces; faces without these adjuncts are called sans-serif or sanserif (without serifs).

Share

The percent of an audience tuned to a particular program at a given time.

Share of Voice (SOV)

A brand's percent of the total advertising weight in its product category.

Short Rate

The cost difference between the discounted contract rate and the higher rate actually earned by an advertiser if he fails to fulfill the contracted amount of advertising.

Simmons Market Research Bureau (SMRB)

A syndicated source of print and broadcast audience measurement, as well as product usage data.

Skype

A free program that allows for text, audio and video chats between users. Additionally, users can purchase plans to receive phone calls through their Skype account.

Social Media

Is media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques.

Social Media Monitoring

A process of monitoring and responding to mentions related to a business that occur in social media.

Spill-In

The amount of programming viewed within a market area to stations that are licensed to an adjacent market.

Spill-Out

The amount of viewing to local stations outside the home market area.

Split Run

Two or more advertisements of same product or service inserted, in equal numbers, in the same issue or run of a newspaper or magazine, usually in equal space and position; used to test copy by removing all variables except the copy to be tested; may be used to test factors other than copy.

Sponsored Subscriptions

Subscriptions obtained through cooperation between publisher and an organized local civic or charitable organization, members of schools, churches, fraternal or similar organizations, publisher donating a percentage of the subscription price to the organization involved.

Sponsorship

Purchase of all or part of a TV program or all pages of a magazine.

Spread

An advertisement designed to occupy two facing pages as a single unit of space (also known as a “double spread” or “double truck”); two pages printed from a single plate, without separation by a gutter (inside margins), there is thus actually only one spread (the center spread) in saddle stitched publications; also describes advertisements designed to employ the gutter space, although they may not be printed from the same plate; when two pages are used employing the gutter space, the advertisement is described as two pages facing.

Standard Industrial Classification

Numerical coding system developed by the Bureau of Budget used in the classification of business establishments according to the principal end-product manufactured or service performed at that location.

Standard Rate & Data Service (SRDS)

Monthly reports of publications', TV and radio stations' rate cards and supporting technical information arranged by state and market.

Starch

A research company providing print advertising readership information.

Starch Rating

 magazine and newspaper advertisement readership rating for noted, seen-associated and read most; made by Daniel Starch & Staff.

Statement

Summary of circulation data made by publication owner; not audited and distinguished from the report audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulations or Business Publications Audit or Verified Audit Circulation.

Strip

A program scheduled at the same time each day, typically Monday-Friday.

T

T.F.

1. till forbid; instructions to run an advertisement until notice is given to stop. 2. to fill; instructions to set copy submitted in size of type to fill space indicated in layout. 3. to follow; instruction that copy is still to come.

Tabloid

Format of newspaper or business paper, smaller than regular newspaper, usually type size page 14-1/4 inches (200 lines) deep, 5 columns (10- 1/4 inches) wide.

TAP (Total Audience Plan)

A radio schedule consisting of equal distribution of commercials across all major dayparts.

Target Audience

 A specific demographic category an advertiser wants to reach with its commercials.

Tear Sheets

Pages upon which an advertisement appears, torn or cut out of publications, used to serve as proofs of insertion, for study of advertisements, etc.

Tell-All Copy

Advertising technique that gives all operational data and information necessary for making a decision to purchase, used especially in business paper advertising.

Telmar

A computer system offering various media planning systems for reach and frequency, as well as cross tabulation of data from Simmons and MRI.

Territorial Distribution

Break-down of circulation required for all U.S. business publications and of Canadian business publications with 35,000 or more

Time Discount

Discount given to an advertiser for the frequency or regularity with which he/she inserts advertisements in a publication; compare quantity discount.

Tip-In

An insert or single sheet fastened by a hinge instead of a wraparound in a bound book or periodical; a page fastened in a book, periodical, or brochure by a thin strip of paste on the inside edge of the separately produced page.

Total Net Paid

 total of all classes of a publication’s circulation for which the ultimate purchasers have paid in accordance with the standards set by the rules; includes single copy sales, mail subscriptions and specials; reported “including bulk” and excluding “bulk.”

Total Paid

Total of all classes of a publication’s distribution for which the purchasers have paid in accordance with the standards set by the rules.

Trade Publication

Serving a specifically definable industrial, business, service or professional audience.

Turnover

The ratio of a cumulative audience to the average audience for a given period of time. Indicates how loyal a given audience may be for specific stations or programs.

Twitter

A platform that allows users to share 140-character-long messages publicly. User can “follow” each other as a way of subscribing to each others' messages. Additionally, users can use the @username command to direct a message towards another Twitter user. 

Two-Color Process

Reproduction process from two plates printed in contrasting colors giving a fullcolor effect.

Two-Pages Facing

Two advertising pages opposite one another without printing in the gutter space between them.

U

U.S. circulation

A breakdown by Canadian provinces is also required for all Canadian business publications and for U.S. business publications with 35,000 or more Canadian circulation.

Unit Audit

An audited report attesting to the accuracy and validity of the number of units, plants or establishments a  ublication is serving.

Unpaid Copies

Circulation or distribution that is either entirely free or at a price inadequate to qualify them as paid in accordance with established rules.

Unpaid Distribution

A term used in the ABC report; reported by averages for the six-month period covered by that report. It is broken into four categories; rotated or occasional; allocated for shows and conventions; checking and promotional copies for advertisers and ad agencies; and miscellaneous, including staff copies.

Upfront

A term indicating that an advertiser has purchased advertising for the coming broadcast year in an early buying season, typically for the benefit of lower rates and CPM guarantees.

V

Vehicle

Anything capable of exposing advertising to customers.

Video Blog

 a blog the produces regular video content often around the same theme on a daily or weekly basis. An example of a successful video blog is Wine Library TV.

Vimeo

A popular video sharing service in which users can upload videos to be hosted online and shared and watched by others. Vimeo user videos are often more artistic and the service does not allow commercial video content.

Voice Over

The voice in the background heard as the narrator.

W

Web Analytics

The measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of Internet data for purposes of understanding and optimizing web usage.

WordPress

 a content management system and contains blog publishing tools that allow users to host and publish blogs.