DBS- (Direct Broadcast Signal)- an entertainment and/or informational service that can be received using an antennae at the subscriber’s home.

DMA (Designated Market Area) – Nielsen Media Research, Inc.’s geographic market design which defines each television market exclusive of others based on measurable viewing patterns.  Every county (or county equivalent) in the Unites States is assigned exclusively to one DMA.

DNS – A domain name server (DNS) is a computer on the Internet that helps to translate domain names into IP addresses. Without it web sites could not be found when typed into a browser.

Daypart – A time period for which audience estimates are reported. (e.g., Monday – Friday 6A-10A)

Decoder– receives a digital signal and converts it back to an analog signal, creating an unscrambled, viewable picture.

Defaults – Term used by ad networks to describe a type of banner that is served to a site when no paying banner is available. Usually a PSA type of advertisement unless the ad network permits publishers to specify their own default advertisement.

Defeating Cache – This process, also known as “cache bursting”, is accomplished by adding a random number to the banner HTML each time the page is reloaded. This causes a separate banner request to be sent to the server, thus insuring the banner is not cached and banner advertisement impressions are not undercounted.

Demographics – Means of defining a target audience by sex. Age, income, household size, education.

Development Money – Funds beyond a manufacturer’s normal co-op budget which are allocated in response to retailers’ proposals for such events as store openings, new product introductions, or remote radio broadcast promotions.

Digital-digital television technology takes the continuously varying quantities of analog, and separates them into separate and distinct levels, producing higher quality picture than analog.

Direct Mail – Ad messages sent via the mail directly to the prospective customer.

Direct Response Advertising – Designed to get the customer to respond immediately, whether by calling the company, clipping or redeeming coupons.

Direct Television – Direct broadcast of television by satellite by way of a dish system. Customers pay for the dish and a subscriber fee.

Discrepancy – An error on the part of the media to properly air or place the advertising schedule. Discrepancies can be resolved with makegoods in broadcast, reruns in print, or a credit.

Discretionary Funds – All funds (vendor, promo, special event, market development) which a manufacturer may provide to a retailer.

Display Advertising – Newspaper advertising sold by column inches or fractions of a page.

Domain Name – The part of an Internet address including and immediately preceded by the domain extension. For example adratesonline.com is our domain name. The domain name is part of a web sites URL. Each web site has its own unique domain name.

Double Billing – An illegal practice by which a retailer fraudulently receives manufacturer reimbursement for co-op advertising in excess of what actually aired.

Double Truck – A center spread in newspaper utilizing the gutter.

Drive Time  – AM drive is 6-10a.m. covering the peak of morning rush-hour traffic. PM drive is 3-7p.m. covering the peak of afternoon rush-hour traffic. Monday – Friday.

Dummy– A rough layout of assembled work for a brochure or other printed piece.

Duopoly – Ownership of two or more AM or FM stations in the market.

Duplication – The number of people who see an advertisement more than once in a combination of magazines.