• Meaning of Media & Features of Media, Meaning of Media Planning , Scope of Media planning , Media Planning Elements, Role of Media in Business, Media Planning Process, Impact of Marketing Objectives on Media Planning, Factors Influencing Media Planning Decisions, Role and Importance of Media in Consumer Buying Decision, Role of Media Planner, Challenges of Media Planning, Organization Structure of Media Company, Regulatory Framework and Legal Aspects in Media Planning

b) Media Research:

• Meaning, Role and Importance
• Sources of Media Research : Audit Bureau of Circulation, Press Audits, National Readership Survey/IRS, Businessmen’s Readership Survey, TRP, National Television Study, ADMAR Satellite Cable Network Study, Reach and Coverage Study, ClB Listenership Survey

• Meaning, Need for Media Mix, Identifying Audience for Mass Media , Factors Affecting Media Mix Decision, Types of Media Mix Decisions: Broad Media Classes, Media Vehicles, Media Units, Deciding Ideal Media Mix

b) Media Choices:

• Print Meaning- Factors Affecting Selection of Print Media Decisions , Types of Print Media, Advantages and Limitations
• Television- Meaning, Factors Affecting Selection of Television Media Decisions, Advantages and Limitations
• Radio- Meaning, Factors Affecting Selection of Radio Media Decision, Advantages and Limitations
• Out of Home (OOH)- Meaning, Types of OOH, Factors Affecting OOH Planning Decision, Advantages and Limitations

c) Emerging Media:

• Online, Mobile, Gaming, In flight, In Store, Interactive Media

d) Media Strategy:

• Meaning, Need for Media Strategy, Situation Analysis for Media Strategy and its Components
• Steps in Formulating Media Strategies: Defining the Target Group, Market Prioritization, Media Weights, Media Mix, Media Scheduling.

• Meaning
• Factors to be considered while Framing a Budget: Advertising Task, Competitive Framework, Market Dominance, Market Coverage, Media Cost, Market Task, Pricing ,Frequency of Purchase
• Importance of Media Budget.
• Methods of Setting Media Budget – Status Quo, Inflation Adjusted, Advertising Sales, Case Rate & Advertising Margin Method, Share of Market, Yardstick Method, Effective Frequency & Reach Method & Margin Analysis ROI Based Approach, Experimental Approach, Break Even Planning.

b) Media Buying:

• Meaning, Role of Media Buyer, Objectives of Media Buying,
• Buying Process: Buying Brief, Environmental Analysis, Science and Art of Buying, Benchmarking Buying Plan Presentation Deal Management and Post Buy
• Buying brief: Concept & Elements of Buying Brief, Art of Media Buying – Negotiation in Media Buying, Plan Presentation and Client Feedback
• Criteria in Media Buying

c) Media Scheduling

• Meaning, Importance
• Factors Affecting Scheduling: Sales Pattern, Purchase Cycle, Product Availability, Competitive Activity, Marketing Task, Budget Constraints, Target Group.
• Scheduling Patterns – Continuity, Flighting, Pulsing
• Scheduling Strategies for Creating Impact: Road Block , Day or Day part
• Emphasis, Multiple Spotting, Teasers

• Basic Metrics: Reach, Cumulative/Frequency Reach, Discrete & Cumulative distribution, Average Opportunity to See (AOTS), Effective frequency/Reach
• Television Metrics: Dairy v/s Peoplemeter, TRP,/TVR, Program Reach & Time Spent, Stickiness Index, Ad Viewership
• Radio Metrics: Arbitron Radio Rating
• Print Metrics: Circulation, Average Issue Readership (AIR), Total or Claimed Reader, Sole or Solus reader.
• OOH Metrics: Traffic Audit Bureau (TAB)

b) Benchmarking Metrics:

• Share, Profile, and Selectivity Index

c) Plan Metrics:

• Gross Rating Points (GRP), Gross Impressions (GI), Share of Voice (SOV).

d) Evaluating Media Buys

• Evaluating Television Media Buying: Dysfunctional Card Rate, Secondary and Effective Rate, Deal Composition, Cost Per Rating Point(CPRP), Reach Delivered by the Buy, Visibility Spots, Bonus Percentage, Upgrades and Spot Fixing, Sponsorships
• Evaluating Print Media Buying: Discount on Rate Card, Negotiated Rate, Cost Per Thousand (CPT), Market Share Incentives, Readership v/s Circulation Track, Growth Incentives, Combination Rate Incentives, Full Page Discounts and Size Upgrades, Discount for Colour Ads, Date Flexibility Incentives, Positioning, Innovations.
• Evaluating Other Media Buys: Radio Buys, Outdoor Buys, Cinema Buys, Internet Buys, and Mobile Buys.