Abstract:

This paper describes the pragmatic function of Media Management in linking the theory and the practice. It discusses the type of decisions Management has to take and whether research is offering the right sort of help. It is particularly concerned with two of the main problems of Media Management - the point on the line of validity at which it should decide to use a new measurement and the difficulty in keeping a balance between the theoretical progress of media research and its practical implementation by the media planner. These problems are illustrated with a case history from the authors' own experience. The paper highlights the importance of the pragmatic approach in the current state of rapid change, and suggests that some shift of emphasis from technique development to application may be beneficial both to the speed and direction of media research progress.