What is a TSA?

[Michael P]

We all know what a DMA is, but I came across an acronym that is new to me, "TSA".

I found it on the WJAC-TV coverage map, and it appears to be the counties that surround (outside) the DMA. I presume the signal is receivable in this area.
http://www.wjactv.com/download/2006/0406/8504925.pdf

If you are loated in the TSA I presume the station may also be (but not necessarially) significantly viewed.

[Mike D-CO5]

The only TSA I know of is the Transportation Security Administration - federal airport screeners. My wife worked for them for close to a year and then they laid her and every other women with kids off . So now she refers to them as TSA- Totally Sucks Ass. :p

[SamC]

Total Survey Area.

Actually its more of a radio term. It means everyplace that the station shows up in a ratings survey AT ALL.

You are looking at material intended for ad buyers, not the public. Small market stations will use the TSA to overstate their potential viewership and thus justify their ad rates.

I have even seen a station whose true market was a tiny rural area claim "5 million potential viewers", buy taking the most generous version of its Grade B and listing the populations in the circles. Nevermind that 90% of that was in big cities on the very edge of the contour, who had never heard of the station.

Similarly, stations will overstate their ratings by dividing their DMAs into "metropolitan" areas (also seen on the map you post) or breaking the viewership into demographic segements until they come up with one they are "#1" in.

[dsanbo]

Total Survey Area.

Actually its more of a radio term. It means everyplace that the station shows up in a ratings survey AT ALL.

You are looking at material intended for ad buyers, not the public. Small market stations will use the TSA to overstate their potential viewership and thus justify their ad rates.

I have even seen a station whose true market was a tiny rural area claim "5 million potential viewers", buy taking the most generous version of its Grade B and listing the populations in the circles. Nevermind that 90% of that was in big cities on the very edge of the contour, who had never heard of the station.

Similarly, stations will overstate their ratings by dividing their DMAs into "metropolitan" areas (also seen on the map you post) or breaking the viewership into demographic segements until they come up with one they are "#1" in.
SamC....Totally on the money....er...so to speak....;)
Having been in broadcasting - both radio and TV - for over 30 years, I've seen every concievable marketing ploy to make a station "#1".....I mean, after all....if you're trying to sell yourself in the ARB (Arbitron), you don't tell prospective clientelle: "Hey! We're #12...and we don't try at ALL.....!!":D

[Michael P]

I have family in the DMA that this station serves, so I am familliar with some of their marketing from the times I watched that station. They have a slogan that goes "Serving Millions from High Atop the Alleghenies." An NBC affilliate, they were "THE" TV station in town. The next closest station was in Altoona, a CBS affilliate. In order to watch the Altoona station you either needed a rotor or a seperate antenna with an A/B switch. Until the 90's if you wanted ABC you had to watch ch 4 from Pittsburgh. Altoona now has its own ABC on ch 23, but many on the Johnstoen side still prefer ch 4 since it came in more or less with the same antenna that got WJAC.