Television Media Meaning, Factors Affecting Selection of Television Media Decisions, Advantages and Limitations

This medium consists of various forms like terrestrial, satellite and cable. The ads on this medium are normally measured in term of slots (normally as a multiple of 10 seconds) both in duration and frequency.

Television was introduced in India on September 15, 1959 as a pilot project in Delhi. Two one hour telecast from a studio in Aakashvani Bhavan were transmitted through equipment gifted by UNES. But many never knew that television is there in India. By early seventies the television telecast started m full swing. And today we have satellite channels in so large a number. Television channels are international, national as well as regional and local. Moreover, the advertisements are audio-visual advertisements.

It is extremely important that whatever has been advertised in the commercial is true. For this reason, organizations such as Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are there to monitor the commercials on television and radio. This ensures that the advertisers are not making any false claims to lure consumers to buy their products.

Most of the radio and television advertisements are paid though there are some public service ads which can be aired for free. The advertisers usually have to pay for the spot which lasts for 30 seconds. In rare cases, this spot can increase to 60 seconds too.

These days radio and television ads are prepared by advertising agencies for their clients. They understand the need of the client and make the commercial keeping in mind the current state of affairs. Broadcast advertising has become a very essential part of marketing in recent times. Companies allocate specific budget for radio and television ads and make an estimate of how much revenue they can earn through broadcast advertising. For example, marketing consultants are hired to determine the return on investment (ROI) for spending on radio and television ads. Sometimes the marketing consultants of these businesses run sample ads to judge its popularity among the viewers.

Full opportunity exists for product demonstration and amplification of selling points with audio presentation. It is really a wonderful means of mass communication for creating market. Television combines all of the elements of communication:

(1) illustration

(2) Music

(3) Spoken words

(4) written words.

We can have short commercials as well as sponsored programmes combining entertainment with advertisement. It represents typical combination of salesmanship and advertising.

However, television has limited market coverage. Advertising on TV is expensive. In addition to time costs, the costs of producing TV shows are considerable. Both radio and TV messages have no life span like the messages in printed form. TV cannot have a long advertising copy.

Factors Affecting Selection of Television Media Decisions

Television is the fast-growing medium of advertisement because of huge expansion of electronic media and cable network. It makes its appeal through both the eye and the ear. Products can be demonstrated as well as explained as in film advertisement. Advertising may take the form of short commercials and sponsored programmes.

T.V. advertising has all the merits of film advertising. It has greater effectiveness as the message is conveyed at their homes to the people. Selectivity of message can also be achieved. Commercials may be given during that time period when the prospective buyers are supposed to watch television programmes.

T.V advertising has got all the demerits of film advertising. Television is a very costly medium of advertisement and can be made use of by the well-established companies only. Another limitation of television advertisement is that once it is presented, its back reference is not possible.

Advantages

• The creative potential for the fusion of sight, sound and motion through pictures, symbols, movement, colour, text, music, effects and dialogue ensures advertising has a high impact on viewers.
• It gives access to vast audiences, and can raise awareness very quickly
• It gives opportunities to match advertising messages to likely audiences for programmes.
• It offers selectivity through regional coverage, broadcast time and programme con catering to the selected target audience as per requirement.
• It appeals to the sense.
• Model day after day become familiar and part of the family and hence whatever they say are more convincing.
• It is very convenient and effective to demonstrate the product m the television.
• High attention is possible due to the combination of sound and visuals.
• It is a very powerful media in building up the image of the product.

Limitations

• It is an expensive media of advertising compared to the Press media. The cost “a time is very high and along with that the cost of producing good quality advertisement for this m
• Advertisers might need to deliver the message to a selected group of audience, which is very narrow Television causes overexposure of the advertisement thus losing the cost effectiveness.
• The advertisement on TV is short lived as the commercials last for 30 seconds or less, which might be very less to create an impact. The advertisers are becoming shorter day by day because of the increasing cost and demand of the media time.
• Like the other media there is a huge clutter of advertisement on television also because of which it is facing trouble being noticed.
• This is a media, which attracts people or its creative commercials. But on the other hand, it has a limitation also that attention paid by viewers is limited because of increase number о commercials, channel zapping i.e. changing channels to avoid commercials, zipping i.e. forwarding through commercials if watching a prerecorded movie.
• It takes longer time compared to the print media to produce the commercials and sponsored programmes.
• The commercial is there on the screen for few seconds and is then gone. So it is essential, that jingles are catchy and sales message is repeated again in again leading to higher customer brand recall and also higher expenditure.
• Generally it is difficult to carry the television set along with you.
• Television commercials have to abide by the broadcast code strictly.