Media house

From CEOpedia | Management online

Media houses (media agencies) are service companies, marketing organizations that are specialized in planning and purchasing advertising campaigns in mass media. These are companies created mainly from the transformation of full-service advertising agencies, which themselves dealt with planning and buying advertising campaigns. However, changes in the market have required the creation of departments that deal with media contacts, which resulted in the creation of specialized Media Houses.

Media house tasks

Media houses have a wide range of responsibilities, including:

  • Creating content: Media houses are responsible for creating media content, such as news stories, films, television shows, and other forms of media. This includes researching and developing stories, writing scripts, filming, and editing the content.
  • Distributing content: Media houses are also responsible for distributing their content to the public. This includes posting content on websites, broadcasting it on television and radio, and distributing it through other outlets, such as newspapers, magazines, and streaming services.
  • Promoting content: Media houses also promote their content by advertising it on television and radio, and through other marketing strategies, such as social media campaigns.

Other tasks are:

  • planning and dealing with the purchase of media
  • planning the course of an advertising campaign, advertising planning
  • negotiations on prices with suppliers for advertising space and time
  • buying media
  • delivery of media research to advertisers

Example of Media house

One example of a media house is The Walt Disney Company. This media house produces a variety of media content, including films, television shows, and other forms of entertainment. The company also owns several media outlets, such as ABC, ESPN, and the Disney Channel, which it uses to distribute its content. Furthermore, The Walt Disney Company also has a large marketing and advertising budget, which it uses to promote its content and draw in viewers.

Types of Media house

Media houses come in a variety of forms, including:

  • Television networks: Television networks are a type of media house that produces and distributes television shows. They are usually owned by large companies or conglomerates, and they employ a variety of people, including producers, directors, writers, and editors.
  • Film studios: Film studios are a type of media house that produces and distributes feature films. They employ a wide range of people, including producers, directors, writers, and editors.
  • Publishing companies: Publishing companies are a type of media house that produces and distributes books and magazines, as well as digital content. They employ a variety of people, including authors, editors, designers, and other staff.

Development of a media strategy by a media house

The development of a media strategy consists of:

  • analyzing the media market and the situation in which potential competition is located
  • defining target audiences
  • determining the amount of budget allocated to advertising and its distribution
  • choosing the moment when the campaign starts and how long it takes

The creation of mediaplan is conditioned by the above points. Typically, the planning process is completed with a post-buy analysis.

Media house types

Due to the specificity of the operation, traditional, classic and Internet media houses are distinguished. They work in a similar way, both classic and online media house needs to recognize what the customer needs, analyze the market, define what are the target groups and choose media and information carriers. In the case of these two types, the difference can be seen only at the stage when the effectiveness of the campaign is assessed. Because when an online media house can monitor the effectiveness of a campaign in real time and make changes in case of unsatisfactory results to increase its effectiveness, a traditional media house can only report the effectiveness of a campaign after it has no major impact on its course. Online media houses can use various media, this is called mixed promotion. An important criterion in identifying types of media houses is also membership in the network. Whether the house belongs to a network of media houses or is an independent media agency on the market is important due to the share of foreign advertising groups on the market. The group of affiliated media houses may seem to be independent of each other, but in reality operate within joint purchasing groups. They share knowledge, as well as capital and potential, they can exert pressure on the media, in particular television. This way allows one Media Group to serve several companies from one industry that are competing on the market.

Typical media house structure

In the classic model of a media house, the superior body is the board. At the lower levels there are departments:

  • New Business Managers have the task of acquiring clients as well as controlling contacts with currently serviced clients. This department is usually created by:
  1. Media Planners are people whose responsibilities include preparing media plans, analyzing the activities of competitors in the media, analyzing advertising media, and settling campaigns.
  2. Media Experts create a so-called panel, a team of experts, responsible for contacts with the media and the course of campaigns in the mass media.
  3. Research is responsible for searching for new solutions, methods for planning a media campaign and advertising.
  • Media Buyers is a person working in a media house, which deals in the purchase of both advertising time and advertising space for clients.
  • Account Managers is a department dealing with customer service in media houses. They are responsible for handling orders and coordinating activities undertaken for a client or brand run by them. This department deals with the entirety of customer relations, media strategies or adaptation of global strategy to the conditions prevailing in the local market.
  • Marketing - department responsible for the strategy and marketing activities of the media house.
  • Administration and finances - the department of which employees are responsible for all administrative business segments and for managing the company's finances.

Advantages of Media house

Media houses offer a number of advantages over other forms of media production and distribution. These include:

  • Cost-effective: Media houses are usually able to produce and distribute their content at a much lower cost than other forms of media production, such as independent film and television production.
  • Reach: Media houses have access to a much wider audience than other forms of media production, as they can distribute their content to a variety of outlets, such as television, radio, streaming services, and other outlets.
  • Quality: Media houses typically employ a variety of professionals, including producers, editors, writers, and other staff, who are responsible for ensuring the highest quality of content.

Limitations of Media house

Media houses are limited in their ability to create and distribute content due to various factors, including:

  • Legal restrictions: Media houses are subject to legal restrictions in some countries, such as censorship laws. These laws can limit the types of content they are allowed to produce and distribute.
  • Financial constraints: Media houses are also limited by financial constraints, such as budget constraints and the cost of production and distribution.
  • Technological constraints: Technology can also limit media houses, as some content, such as high-definition video, may require expensive equipment to produce.

Other approaches related to Media house

  • Developing strategies: Media houses develop strategies to ensure that their content is seen by the right people and is successful. This includes conducting market research, developing marketing campaigns, and creating promotional materials.
  • Managing budgets: Media houses must also manage their budgets to ensure that their projects stay within their allotted budget. This involves monitoring spending, negotiating contracts, and tracking expenses.
  • Monitoring performance: Media houses must also monitor the performance of their content to ensure that it is being seen by the intended audience and is successful. This includes tracking viewership, engagement, and other metrics.


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