Many buyers believe that they have to pay higher, non-preemptible rates in order to guarantee clearance. Further, they believe that once they pay non-preemptible rates, they cannot be preempted.

In both cases, quite the opposite is true.

It is generally not necessary to pay a non-preemptible rate to guarantee that spots run. Moreover, even where orders are placed at non-preemptible rates, preemptions still occur. Sometimes, if “oversold” a station will simply preempt a "non-preemptible" spot. More often, a station will simply not accept the order. Unfortunately, in the fast paced media environment we operate in, some buyers will not discover that spots did not run until well after the scheduled airdate or until after the ad campaign has completed.

LUC Media maintains constant, on-going communication with the sales and traffic departments of all stations. Oral and written confirmation of placements, monitoring public files and daily verification of actual spot placement times are just some of the tactics this company uses to make sure spots run- regardless of price.

As a result of a thorough understanding of the law, as well as knowledge of station practices regarding commercial and political advertisers, LUC places a buy well-armed. The result: get good rates, and spots that run.

Some stations that only have preemptible and non-preemptible time will try and drive advertisers to higher levels of rates to avoid paying political advertisers LUR rebates. What they fail to do is disclose is that there are "intermediate" rates which can be paid to decrease the chance of preemption and yet still qualify for the LUR rebate.

Read on to the next section "Middle Rates" to find out how this works.