Air Time Media Buying

After you get your great-looking TV commercial by TV Ads Cheap™, we can help you place it on the air. TV commercials can be placed on just about any network out there that accepts TV commercial advertising. Unlike the automated air time systems, we are not limited to specific cable or satellite systems, or unwanted "remnant" spots.

How Can I Get My Commercial On The Air?

The process is simple. You tell us where you would like to be on the air - it can be your local broadcast station, a cable channel that plays in your area, or you could be on the air in a different area, your choice.

You determine what you can afford, send us your prepayment, and we schedule the airings based on your budget, desired target audience, and network availability. We inform you ahead of time when your ads will start, and where they will air.

How Much Does Air Time Cost?

Answer: That depends on the size of the audience (how many viewers), how much air time is available ("Avails"), and the popularity of air time (how many other advertisers want to be in that time slot).

The cost per airing varies -- A LOT. At the high end, a single airing on the Super Bowl can cost $3 Million. At the low end, we've actually seen overnight airings (midnight to 5 am) in some small markets for $1 each. Obviously, the Super Bowl airing reaches a lot more people.

Budgeting: For a local market test campaign, budget at least $1,500-2,500 for a small local market. If you can afford more, you'll be able to buy more airings on one network, or split your airings among multiple networks at a single cable system.

We check out the possibilities for different networks and dayparts and figure out the best deals for your intended audience. Let us shop around for you and we'll pick the best deals.

TIP: For local markets, spots can be surprisingly affordable. Don't expect to air within a specific television program ("fixed position"), unless you're prepared to pay lots more. It's more economical to pick a broader time span on a network that appeals to your customers, and let the network choose where to fit your spot in their schedule. It's cheaper for you, and lets you air your commercial many times more often than with fixed position airings.

Just want to find out about current Air Time Rates for your area, or on a specific network? You can find out at the TV Ad Rate Store™.

So, What's The PPI, CPM, ROI?

TV advertising is NOT purchased on a "Pay-Per-Impression" basis - instead, you pay per airing, which has an established average viewership for the day, time, and show. That's where those Neilsen Ratings come in - Neilsen determines how many people are watching, which helps the networks decide what to charge per airing.

Example: Suppose that the rate for 1 airing on a local cable TV network costs $25, and that airing typically reaches about 10,000 daytime viewers. (That's a CPM of about $2.50 per 1,000 viewers.) So, your budget of $2,500 would yield 100 airings (at $25 each), or 3-4 airings per day for a month. Pretty decent.

Your ROI for your TV advertising campaign depends on the strength of your OFFER, how seriously you spend on AIR TIME, and the MARKETPLACE for your product or service. Unlike click-thru ads, your TV commercial message can leave a lasting impression of familiarity and trust that attracts customers over and over. The more often viewers see your message, the better.

How Does The Network Get My Ad?

TV Ads Cheap™ can help. Broadcast requirements vary from network to network. Airing your TV commercial requires the creation and shipping of the actual media, typically a Broadcast-ready tape or Digital File FTP Upload, depending on the requirements of the network.

If we are scheduling air time for your TV Ads Cheap™ commercial on your behalf, one Broadcast Standard Tape or broadcast-quality FTP Upload to the network is included*. We create the correct media for the network and send it directly to them.

* One Broadcast-standard tape or FTP upload is included with your air time buy placed through TV Ads Cheap™. Additional Broadcast Tapes are available at $129 each (includes shipping and handling), or a Broadcast Quality FTP upload or DVD can be created for just $99 each.

If you desire, you can air your TV Ads Cheap™ commercial on your own. If you're doing it yourself, you'll need our generous DIY Air Time License, good for 7 years, enabling you to air your commercial on any network you desire. The fee is $250 (includes the 7-year license and 1 broadcast tape or FTP upload). Why a license? This ensures that our legal guys have all the copyright issues handled, and assures you that your original production is free and clear for you to use, as long as you don't alter it.

Air Time Payment Terms

Air time is prepaid. For air time payment, we accept Cashier's Check, Certified Bank Check, or Bank Wire. We regret that we cannot accept PayPal or credit cards as payment for air time purchases. We apologize for any inconvenience.

TV Ads Cheap™ does not add any extra commissions to air time purchases. The rate you get is the negotiated network air time rate. For small air time purchases under $1,500, there is a processing fee of $150 to help defray order processing costs, media production, shipping and handling.