Media Buying
Pre-emption / Pre-emptible
The practice of a station replacing a scheduled commercial with another, usually because the latter advertiser paid a higher premium rate.
What is Pre-emption / Pre-emptible?
Pre-emption is the station's right to bump an advertiser whose buy was sold as pre-emptible. Pre-emptible inventory trades at a discount precisely because the advertiser accepts the risk of being displaced if a higher-paying buyer shows up. Some inventory is sold 'two-week pre-emptible', meaning it can be bumped with two weeks' notice; other tiers offer shorter or longer protection windows.
Advertisers who value budget efficiency over placement certainty choose pre-emptible inventory to stretch their spend. Advertisers running time-critical promotions pay up for Fixed Position protection. The station balances the mix to maximize yield — selling pre-emptible at 70–80 percent of fixed rates, then periodically pre-empting to capture premium sales without losing the discount buyer for good.
Why it matters
Buyers purchasing pre-emptible inventory accept the distinct risk of their ad not airing in exchange for a significantly lower initial cost.
Related terms
- Fixed Position— A scheduled broadcast spot that is contractually guaranteed to air at an exact time or within a highly specific programming feature.
- Direct Sales— Advertising inventory sold by the station's internal account executives directly to local business owners, completely bypassing advertising agencies.
- Remnant Inventory— Unsold advertising space that is typically sold at a steep discount at the last minute to avoid broadcasting dead air.
- Adjacency— An advertising pod positioned immediately next to a specific, high-value program feature, such as a weather report or sports update.