Glossary: DRTV

national cable

Cable network that broadcasts its signal via satellite to numerous local cable systems. There are over 100 national cable networks, but only half of them reach 25 million or more TV households.

National Infomercial Marketing Association (NIMA)

See Electronic Retailing Association (ERA).

national sales manager (NSM)

The TV station sales person responsible for selling commercial time to national (not local) advertisers such as McDonald’s, Coke, GM, and nationally distributed infomercials.

net audience

Synonym for reach.

net buy

Actual amount paid to a TV station or cable network for media time. The net buy is typically 15 percent less than the gross buy, which reflects the commission paid the agency for its media-buying services.

no charge

Free infomercial telecast given by a station or network to a media buying agency for a variety of different reasons. Buyers get no charges as payment for station mistakes (telecasting the wrong version of an infomercial) or as a bonus for buying a significant amount of time on the station.

non-linear editing

Same as digital editing, this refers to the ability to manipulate sound and images in random order. If you change the length of a shot five minutes into a completed 30-minute infomercial, all shots adjust accordingly thereafter and do not have to be re-edited.

nondisclosure agency

Ad agency that buys media without revealing to their clients the exact price they pay for it. Broadcast affidavits are not disclosed to the client. There is the potential here for the agency to make significantly more than 15 percent commission. For example, an agency might pay $750 net to a station and sell it to their client for $1250 for a 40 percent commission.

NSM

See national sales manager.