Producer 101 - MOOSE Media

Outdoor Television
The North American
Model of Wildlife Conservation
America’s wildlife and wild lands are conserved through a public trust best known as
The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. At its creation more than a century ago,
the manifesto of the American conservation movement – founded and expressed exclusively
by hunters, fishers and traditional outdoor visionaries – was an original theory that eventually
won world-wide support.
Today, The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation remains the ultimate
example of a democratic system dedicated to the wise-use perpetuation of wildlife and its
habitats. The Model’s seven pillars include: wildlife as a public trust resource; prohibitions on
commerce; hunting and fishing opportunities for all; non-frivolous use of wildlife; wildlife as an
international resource; scientific management; and the democratic rule of law. Of all of the Model’s interlocking keystones, it is the doctrine of public trust that
represents the absolute sunstone of American conservation and, with a public increasingly
out-of-touch with the out-of-doors, its most vulnerable Achilles. These facts underline the importance of representing our cherished traditional outdoor
activities in the best and brightest possible light, particularly so when these experiences are to
be consumed by the public on network television. Adhering to the sportsman’s code of ethics,
fair chase, catch-and-release and treading lightly must then be infused with unerring respect
and honor for the game we seek, the healthy habitats we support and the private and public
lands that we may be lucky enough to visit.
Pursuit Channel and its producers are privileged to play such a significant role in The
North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.
Traditional outdoor families, the conservation organizations that they support and their favorite television shows are
critical to non-game species like this sandpiper seen hunting among the tidewaters of the Gulf. Outdoor activists like
those who operate and contribute to the Pursuit Channel, strengthen the pillars of conservation, inspire public trust and
perpetuate The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.
Pursuit Time-Buy Rate Schedule
Launching an Outdoor TV Show
The average cost to film and edit a 13-episode outdoors television series varies but,
generally, the professional television producer invests between $9,000 and $25,000 operationally
– per episode – to produce an outdoors television series. That number does not reflect the cost
of the air time on a network like Pursuit Channel. Effective July 1, 2015
Q1/Q2 26 Weeks 2015
Package A
Package B
Package C
Package D
Package E
$2,950
$2,650
$2,350
$2,150
$2,050
1 Primetime Anchor
1Late Subprime
1Early Subprime
1 Weekend Morning
1 Weekend Afternoon
2 Encores/week
2 Encores/week
2 Encores/week
2 Encores/week
2 Encores/week
$76,700 total
$68,900 total
$61,100 total
$55,900 total
$53,300 total
per week
Therefore, the total cost to produce
(@ $9,000 per episode) and air a television
series ($3,000 per week x 26 weeks) on a
national network such as Pursuit Channel is
approximately $195,000.
Regarding the launch of a traditional
outdoors television show, forward thinking,
promotional
investment
and
contractual
alignments with both key marketing partners
and a network distributer are essential.
Many of the healthiest and longest
lasting traditional outdoors shows remain custom
Big Deal: Pursuit is the only endemic network that allows
productions from manufacturers. The frequent producers to instantly repurpose all content to the internet.
and managed promotion of a core product, or a
whole brand selection of products and/or services, generally separates the positive efficiencies
of cost, reach and return of outdoor television production and distribution from all other media. And when the manufacturer amortizes the television investment by repurposing original content,
in whole or in part to an expanding digital array of customer connections, television and video
ascend as an ultimate promotional asset for many years to come.
Ultimately, the savvy producer begins raising awareness (and forming marketing
alliances) at least 24 months before a new television project is scheduled to appear on-air. Minimally, the producer will have created a media kit (electronic and hard-copy versions), which
includes a concise video interpretation of the show. Promotional material should introduce the
concept, the personalities, the network schedule and the pricing to potential advertising partners.
To reach solvency, one show may require funding from eight advertising partners at
$95,000 each (standard packages might include 78 30-second spots, electronic billboards and
some quantity of on-air product placement). While another show with a better network schedule
reaching a larger and more targeted demographic on Pursuit Channel may only require $45,000
from each of eight advertising partners.
per week
per week
per week
per week
Q3/Q4 26 Weeks 2015
Package A
Package B
Package C
Package D
Package E
$3,450
$3,150
$2,750
$2,450
$2,250
1 Primetime Anchor
1Late Subprime
1Early Subprime
1 Weekend Morning
1 Weekend Afternoon
2 Encores/week
2 Encores/week
2 Encores/week
2 Encores/week
2 Encores/week
$89,700 total
$81,900 total
$71,500 total
$63,700 total
$58,500 total
per week
per week
per week
per week
per week
Primetime: 8P-10:30PWeekend Morning: 8A-11:30A
Subprime: 7P, 7:30P, 11P and 11:30P
Weekend Afternoon: Noon-5:30P
Pursuit Time-Buy and Production
Securing contractual air time from Pursuit Channel is a key milestone in launching an
outdoor television show. Pursuit offers producers many distribution models. In one scenario a
producer may select a minimum run: one airing per week in only the first quarter of the year
(January, February and March). Another producer may choose a 52-week time-buy package
consisting of four or five airings per week with one in primetime. The producer can truly customize
a television series time-buy package for maximum audience, or for a strategic national network
presence, or for anything in between.
Budgeting is key to the success of your television production. Keep these in mind:
• Airtime
• Hunting License
• Utility Cost
• Hunting Equipment
• Production Equipment
• Savings for the “what ifs”
• Computers• Software• Dining
• Outfitter Fees/Tips
• Fuel
• Lodging
• Staff cost
• Freelance fees (if outsourcing production/editing)
* MOOSE Media can provide budget templates upon request for Pursuit Channel producers.
Advertising Partnerships
All time-buy outdoor television shows by independent producers exist and flourish
thanks to great content and tremendous, full-time sales efforts. Developing high-value, easy-tounderstand sales packages, dedicating effort and manpower to the art of selling and beginning the
sales process months, if not years, ahead of the launches of new shows is paramount to survival
and profitability.
The standard analytic by which media is bought and sold is based on the cost-perthousand (CPM) formula. Computing the CPM for an advertising package is very simple: It is the
cost of a given advertising package divided by the package’s viewership delivery (times 1,000). So, a package consisting of multiple 30-second commercial spots and electronic billboards that
costs an advertiser $50,000 and reaches 5 million viewers has a CPM of $10.
$50,000 (Cost of Package)
5,000,000 (Number of Viewers)
x 1000 = $10 (CPM)
There are many advertising components within a given television series to sell individually
or as packaged bundles, including the title partnership, standard partnerships (usually eight of
these per show), vignettes and closed captioning. Advertising packages may also include valueadded website advertising, personal appearances and endorsements and high-value product
placements.
Selling a $50,000 television advertising package is all about interpersonal relationships
and cultivating relationships: person-to-person. Nevertheless, the producer must develop a media
kit that includes:
• Five-minute sizzle reel and/or a 20-minute television-show pilot
• Brief letter introducing the principles of the show (See Appendix) • Fact sheet describing the show, the network, airtimes, CPM, etcetera
Create an Outdoor TV Brand
With no exceptions, the greatest outdoor television shows of all time, which also subsequently become generational brands, are founded on ethics, conservation and recruitment. Basing your brand on these pillars is essential.
When developing the TV Brand logo: simple, clean, powerful sets brands apart. When
people think of “KRAFT,” wholesome, high-value foodstuffs come to mind. Creating a representative
bug for “Goin’ Huntin’ and Fishin’ All Over the World with Dave and Clara” is a challenge.
Here are a few recommendations regarding the telling of your story within the show
and through outside influences:
• Ensure your audience knows what your brand stands for and that it is true to a
positive identity
• Make your brand easy to recognize, easy to understand
• Develop and employ frequent, professional interactions with viewers, sponsors and potential
sponsors. Tight, cohesive messaging delivered with great conviction creates positive affects
How-To Market
Your TV Brand
For Maximum
Impact
Creating a brand for an outdoor
television show is tremendously
important and relatively easy
provided the production has a
strong identity that resonates with
viewers. Branding an outdoor
television show is perhaps the
only way that it will eventually
enjoy long-term, self-sustaining
profitability. To get started, in
written form, answer these
questions:
• What does your show emphasize and how does that differ from others?
• Who is your target audience?
• How do you define your brand and its television counterpart?
• What perceptions are generated by the show and its on-air talent?
• How does your show appeal to its viewer’s needs?
• Identify shows with similarities and analyze how they promote themselves and their brands…
• How are you communicating the brand message – inside the show and through outside
channels? Are you frequent and consistent?
The DIY Public Relations Campaign
Press releases are the most common tools used in public relations campaigns. Well
written news releases are the backbone of cost-effective self-promotion. Together with personal
appearances and media interviews, press releases can put television producers on the map with
all audiences. Here are some tips for press releases: • Pursuit Channel offers a press release template for shovel-ready press releases. Pursuit will
supply initial edits of press releases at no charge • Well-crafted and frequent press releases are worth tens of thousands of dollars annually in
free promotion
• Start with the most important facts and write with target audiences (partners, viewers and
potential advertisers) in mind
• One clear, well-composed, interesting photo (of people, places or things) almost guarantees
that a press release will be picked up and digitally published MOOSE Media provides Press Release templates for Pursuit Channel producers.
Pursuit Channel
Pursuit Channel, the vision of outdoor television producer and network founder Rusty
Faulk, now engages tens of millions of traditional outdoors enthusiasts with world-class content by
the top television production companies at work today. Hunting, fishing, shooting, from the Gulf
Stream to the Rockies to wild Alaska and beyond, Pursuit Channel is America’s leader in leanforward television entertainment for the whole family.
The network’s maxims, “We Deliver the Outdoors” and “More Viewers for Less Money,”
speaks to Pursuit’s 38.5 million active U.S. television homes and the most precise viewership
audits in television history. All guided by the principle that affordable, quantifiable and extensive
broadcast solutions serving the outdoors are critical to the very survival of The North American
Model of Wildlife Conservation.
• Reaches 20 million+ HHs NOT SERVED by Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel
• Active in 38.5 million+ total U.S. HHs
• Auditing is unsurpassed in accuracy, collection and transparency
• Outdoor’s unqualified BEST-BEST CPM and demographic
• Marketplace EXCLUSIVITY in over-the-top, live-signal streaming
• Category’s widest array of in-show commercial animations
• Custom campaigns without day part or pre-buy premiums • BEST-IN-CLASS transmission signal and picture quality
Pursuit Marketing Opportunites
On Air Promotions
• Fifteen second (:15) network spots are available as tune-in promos for anchor slot, or
•
•
•
•
specific episode tune-in promotion; producer must submit creative to Erica Conner to
be inserted; each show has an allotment of promos based on their airtime package with
the network.
Producers receive “coming up next” bump prior to each air.
Primetime producers receive an “up-next” video promo that includes their logo and actual
footage from their show; this video promo runs in the last break of the show that airs prior to
their show
Primetime producers’ show footage will also be used in network branded block
tune-in promos
Primetime producers can notify network of any special event or guest in an upcoming
episode and can receive a lower-third crawl that promotes the special program.
Website/Digital Marketing
• Primetime shows are included in website block promotion graphics.
• All shows are included under the network’s “Shows” tab; network treatment includes show
•
•
description, image, and logo. If provided by producer, links to Website, Facebook, Twitter and
YouTube accounts can be included as well.
Shows schedules are featured in several locations.
Primetime shows will be featured in banners on top and side panels of home page;
producers must send high-quality imagery for inclusion.
Social Media
• Pursuit allows every show to create #hashtags on air to create trending for their shows.
• Producers receive promotional and tune-in posts on networks social media sites.
• Producers can notify network of any upcoming episodes that includes special guests and can
have a post scheduled for promotions of those episodes.
• Producers can notify network of any promotions or contests and have posts scheduled on the
network’s social media.
• Producers are asked to cross promote and share posts from Pursuit Channel’s social media
to maximize value for all parties.
Publications
• Producer information can be included in the network’s newsletter that is mailed to over
•
•
•
50,000 members. It features upcoming events, primetime programming and special
guest notifications.
Pursuit Channel is featured in several national and regional print publications.
Network branded ads include promotion for branded blocks and shows within the
branded blocks.
Producers can work with MOOSE Media to develop a press release plan that includes
introductory “this season on” as well as routine “this week on” treatments.
PURSUIT
CHANNEL
12 North King Street
Glenwood, AL 36034
334.544.0701
www.pursuitchannel.com
Social Media Links
www.pursuitchannel.com
PURSUIT
CHANNEL
 /ThePursuitChannel
 @PursuitChannel
#PursuitChannel
PURSUIT PURSUIT
CHANNEL
CHANNEL
206 E Main St.
West Point, MS 39773
662.492.4000
www.moosemedia.com