Media Sales Management and New Product Launch: an Exploratory Study

Abstract

This study explores the factors which television executives identify as paramount to the successful rollout of new digital multicast channels: enhancing the perceived value of the new offerings, determining the optimal sales team structure, and exploiting the resulting greater product-market scope. To investigate these facets, nine semi-structured depth interviews were employed with television executives overseeing sales teams amidst the introduction of new multicast channels. The findings suggest that a digital subchannel’s perceived value and the broadened product-market scope made possible through this new product rollout have a strong influence on the sales department’s ability to increase revenues.

Key Words:

• multicasting
• new product launch
• media sales management
• perceived value
• product-market scope