Glossary: DRTV

S&H

See shipping and handling.

saver program

Similar to reactivation program.

self-improvement product

Any product or service that provides benefits of improving an individual’s financial status, occupation, relationships, self-esteem, memory, and physical and mental health. Such products often have excellent mark-ups of as much as 15-to-1, but rarely succeed unless the benefits are visually concrete (e.g., diet products). Tony Robbins “Personal Power” is an exception. His success can be attributed primarily to his charismatic TV persona.

selling cycle

Infomercials generally have three pods, each of which is a selling cycle that details the same basic selling information but is packaged somewhat differently. The matching elements in each cycle are: features, benefits, credibility, substantiation, guarantee, offer, and call to action.

send check address

The address in the billboard for those who wish to pay by check.

share

Percentage of households using television who are watching a specific program. The share is always higher than the rating. 10 percent of all TV homes might be watching Program X. But because only 50 percent of all TV homes are watching TV at this particular time, Program X’s share is 20 percent. Share is a measurement of a program’s relative strength versus its immediate competition on other channels.

shipping and handling (S&H)

The cost to consumer, stated on the billboard, which is in addition to the stated product price.

short form

Any DRTV commercial that is two minutes or less in length.

signpost

Term used to describe an on-camera spokesperson that introduces a storymercial’s fictional segments and reappears periodically to remind the viewer of key product benefits.

sit-commercial

Infomercial program structure that mimics a situation comedy.

spill-in

Percentage of viewership in a specific market that is directed to TV stations originating outside of the market.

spin

Synonym for airing.

spin ‘til you win

An agreement between TV station and media buyer to telecast an infomercial as many times as necessary in a specified period of time to achieve a predetermined cost per order. Similar to per inquiry except the station gets paid a known amount up-front.

spot

Advertisers in the infomercial business refer to any image/awareness, non-DRTV commercial (generally five- to 60-seconds in length) as a spot commercial. Traditional advertisers (non-DRTV) define the “spot” market as the purchase of advertising on local broadcast TV stations, market by market.

Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS)

A widely used publication that details information about broadcast TV stations management, personnel, county coverage, and commercial rates.

station reps

Companies that represent local broadcast stations in the sales of airtime to national advertisers.

Storyboard

A series of sketches or rough artwork with accompanying description of action and audio that approximates what the creative will look like.

storymercial

The infomercial program format that uses actors to tell a fictional story that showcases the featured product.

submaster

The assembly of certain video and audio on a tape that later will be incorporated into the final edit master.

success rate/ratio

The ratio of DRTV winners to losers, which is often quoted for the industry as a whole or for specific companies, directors, or writers. The ratio has risen over the past years primarily because of increased media rates and competition.

super

Graphics and text that is superimposed over other video/film.

superstation

Local broadcast television station that also sends its signal via satellite to numerous local cable systems to increase viewership.

sweeps

Four-week period held four times per year by Nielsen where all U.S. television stations are measured for viewership levels and demographic breakdown.

sweetening

Post-production process of mixing audio and music for the final edited master.

syndication

Production of independent, non-network programming distributed to local broadcast stations and cable networks and paid for by cash or bartered commercial time.