Broadcast Advertising

Definition: Broadcast Advertising means a form of advertising which uses electronic media to communicate a message to a vast audience. It makes use of airwaves as the channel through which the media is directed to get through to a wide audience. Broadcast Media ensures a large coverage with a short commercial exposure of the company’s offering.

This form of advertising is one of the most influential and effective across the globe. This is because it has a massive reach, as one can access it from home, office or even during travelling. Immediacy and ubiquity are the two important characteristics of broadcast advertising. In fact, broadcast advertising reaches interior places, where newspapers and magazines cannot enter.

It involves the use of a number of methods like spot announcements and sponsored programmes. Broadcast media offers a wide range of advertisement slots and rates which vary on the basis of the ad duration and their airing time. As you know prime time ads often fetch maximum viewers or listeners, their cost is high. An advertising agency can consider the advertising budget at the time of media planning.

In spite of all the positives, there is one negative thing with broadcast advertising, i.e. there is no measure of circulation. The measurement of the audience is through a random sample of viewers or listeners.

Types of Broadcast Advertising

The broadcast media mainly covers radio, which is further classified as Frequency Modulation (Radio) and Television. Using these two, people can view or listen to advertising programs at a certain time daily.

Radio Advertising

In 1920 radio became an established advertising medium. Promotion by way of radio is a feasible option for advertising for more than 80 years. Radio commercials adopted creative techniques of advertising by using music, songs and entertaining programs.

Both national and local advertisers can make use of radio for the purpose of advertising. It is amongst the most used advertising vehicle in the country.

The advantages of radio advertising include cost-effectiveness, flexibility, practicality, mobility, etc. It is a very mobile broadcast medium. People generally use the radio in their cars, homes, shops, etc.

Television Advertising

Do you know that television attracts the largest number of viewers, as people from all age groups watch the ads? Television is a great combo of audio and visual, that gains a deeper impact than any form of media. It is a window to the outside world. It helps in reaching a large audience in one go.

At some point in time, it was regarded as the pillar of advertising. However, with the emergence of other modes like the internet or social media, its importance has decreased to some extent.

Further, television advertising is suitable for those products which require demonstration. Its advantages include wide-coverage, flexibility, etc.

Ethics in Broadcasting

Initially, the introduction of broadcasting media, i.e. television and radio was introduced as carriers of information and entertainment. The main cause of its introduction is public service. However, with the passage of time, these mediums are used for propaganda and commercial interest. There are some ethics which must be followed in Broadcast Advertising also. These include:

• Accuracy and fairness
• Respect for privacy and religious beliefs or practices of different communities.
• Right to reply
• Respect for the confidentiality of sources
• Need for caution while reporting violence, disturbances etc.
• Need to avoid obscenity and vulgarity.

A word from Business Jargons

Above all, Broadcast Advertising facilitates the dissemination of news to people, including those who are illiterate. This is because it uses both sounds and images which makes it more attractive and easy to understand.