AAA School
AMASA Media Management Curriculum
Course Outline
(There may be a few changes to the Media Course Outline)
AN INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA STRATEGY LECTURES: 1-7
Developing a Standpoint for Media
 Position media planning within the broader discipline of advertising and
communication.
 Understand the various elements of the media planning process.
 Understand the role of media planning within the advertising process
SA Media Overview
 Provide a basic overview of the South African media landscape in order to put
future communication channel lectures into context.
Defining the Target Market
 Putting into perspective the importance of target market definition.
 Providing an overview of the various elements of target market definition, eg.
Income, LSM’s, etc.
 Touching on the various research tools that are available for target market
definition.
Concepts of Media Planning
 The role of the media decision.
 Understanding basic media terminology, ie. Coverage, reach, cumulative
reach, frequency, GRP’s, etc.
 Calculating and applying of basic media principles ie. reach, frequency,
GRP’s, etc.
 Evaluating cost efficiency vs. media delivery.
 Reach guidelines.
 Setting effective frequency levels.
Media Qualities and the Mix
 Differentiating between a medium and a media vehicle.
 Determining and evaluating media imperatives for each medium.
 Differentiating between cost efficiency vs. cost effectiveness.
 Understanding and compiling a SWOT analysis for each medium.
Media Research
 Understanding the need for research.
 Overview of available research.
 How to evaluate research.
Reading Computer Runs
 Reading and analysing a typical research run.
 Calculating and using indices, percentages, etc.
PREPARING THE MEDIA STRATEGY LECTURES 8-20
Television
 Overview of the television industry.
 Definitions of relevant media terminology.
 The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
 Understanding, calculating and applying media specifics to television, ie.
reach, frequency, GRP’s, CPP’s, etc.
 Understanding the dynamics of putting a TV plan together, ie. Sample sizes,
audience shares, daypart delivery, etc.
 Reading and analysing a typical buying brief.
 Reading and analysing a typical post campaign report.
Radio
 Overview of the television industry.
 Definitions of relevant media terminology.
 The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
 Understanding qualitative factors such as language, spot duration.
 Identifying audience patterns, daypart delivery, etc.
 Creating a radio plan to meet reach or frequency objectives.
 Evaluating the role of the various stations.
Magazines
 Overview of the magazine industry from a publisher’s point of view.
 Overview of the magazine industry from a planning point of view.
 Definitions of relevant media terminology.
 The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
 Evaluation criteria.
 Calculating title and media schedule cost efficiency.
Newspapers
 Overview of the newspaper market.
 Definitions of relevant media terminology.
 The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
 Evaluation criteria.
 Calculating title and media schedule cost efficiency.
Cinema
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Overview of the cinema industry.
Definitions of relevant media terminology.
The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
Utilising sources other than AMPS.
Opportunities beyond the on-reel placement.
Outdoor/Out of Home
 Overview of the OOH industry.
 Definitions of relevant media terminology.
 The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
 Understanding the limitations of conventional research.
Relationship Marketing
 Overview of the DRM industry.
 Definitions of relevant media terminology.
 The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
Alternative Media
 What is alternative media.
 Understanding the contribution that alternative media bring to a strategy.
 Definitions of relevant media terminology.
 The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
Digital/ On-line
 Overview of the on-line/digital industry.
 Definitions of relevant media terminology.
 The role of the medium in the overall planning process.
 Increasing importance/ relevance of the communication channel.
Sponsorships
 The role of sponsorships in the overall communication mix.
 How to evaluate sponsorships.
 Evaluation criteria.
 How to measure the impact of sponsorships.
Reading Rate Cards
 How to calculate costs and read rate cars:
 Television
 Cinema
 Radio
 Magazines
 Newspapers
 On-line
Creativity in Media
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Impact vs. effectiveness
Role of creativity
Examples of great creative media executions
THE MEDIA STRATEGY LECTURES 21-34
Developing a Strategy
 Analysing the client brief.
 Understanding what data you need.
 Understanding the elements that make up a communication strategy.
 Presenting a media strategy.
The Media Plan
 Isolating the steps from the communication strategy.
 Appropriate budget setting criteria.
 Laying out a media plan.
Media Strategy Case Study
 Examples of media strategies that have been developed and the resulting
media plans that were executed and implemented.