Careers in Media Planning

With the media and advertising industry emerging as the most powerful ways of communicating any message to the masses, the career options in the field are expanding. Media planning is among the most promising and lucrative career options in the current job scenario. It includes selection of media for the placement of advertisements on behalf of clients, keeping the budget and target audience in mind. A media planner acts as a mediator between media organization and the client. He/She helps the client in purchasing air time slots or print space for the advertisement. Apart from merely being a mediator, a media planner has to learn the market trends, analyze target audience, and understand their psychology. One has to be constantly updated with the changing trends in media to become a successful media planner. Media planners should have excellent communication skills, as they have to effectively express their thoughts to their clients. They have to be enthusiastic, passionate, pro-active, good observer, quick decision maker. In short, a good media planner should possess all the skills necessary for handling difficult circumstances with ease and optimum utilization of resources. Thorough knowledge of current media trends is also important to excel in this field. Last, but not the least, a media planner should be a good negotiator and be able put forth his terms and conditions persuasively.

Course Details
No particular course has been designed to impart training in media planning. Institutes offering courses in media management, mass communication, and advertising usually include media planning as part of their curriculum. A person, who has a creative mind and good communication skills, along with a degree or diploma in mass communication or advertising, can consider media planning as a career option. Another alternative for entering this industry is by acquiring an MBA degree with a specialization in media planning.

Career Prospects
Apart from independent media planning agencies, advertising agencies are always in need of good media planners. With numerous advertising agencies in the market, one can opt for a booming career in media planning. With diverse media options, employment in media planning has emerged as a preferred job line for most young aspirants.

Top Colleges Offering UG/PG/Other Courses
Very few specialized institutes offer detailed education and training in media planning. However, programs related to advertising also provide in-depth knowledge on media planning. Some institutes that offer media planning as a part of advertising are: Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi; Mudra Institute of Communication (MICA), Anand; Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune; Institute for Media Studies and Information Technology (IMSIT), YMCA, New Delhi; and Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai. All IIMs and A-level management institutes also impart knowledge in media planning.

Remuneration
Remuneration of a media planner depends on his/her knowledge and experience. Size and reputation of the organization also determines the salary package of an individual. Apart from the salary, a media planner also receives incentives depending upon the size of client accounts one handles and the business he/she brings for the organization. Beginners can expect a salary between Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 15,000 per month, while an experienced media planner can earn up to a monthly salary of Rs. 30,000.