Glossary

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)

A high data rate subscriber line that uses a conventional fixed telephone line. The connection is 'asymmetrical' because the data is transferred faster from the Internet to the home PC computer than from the PC to the Internet. The connection is subject to a fixed monthly charge and it allows phone calls to be made even while the Internet connection is in use.

Internet advertising, or 'banners' placed on web pages. Banner ads are normally rectangular in shape, hence the name.

Blog

A user generated online diary where entires are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food or politics. Blogs can be seen as a part of a wider network of social media. The term "blog" is derived from "Web log."

Break-even level

The level at which a company or business makes neither a profit nor a loss.

Broadsheet

A large newspaper format. The most common broadsheet format in Finland, e.g. Aamulehti, is 400 mm wide by 560 mm high.

Chatting

Chatting in the Internet world refers to exchange of opinions and dialogue on the Internet or, increasingly, on television in real time. The service is similar to IRC but in chatting the discussion channel is a www address and no separate software is needed.

Circulation

The number of copies of a newspaper, both subscribed and over-the-counter sales, per printed edition during a given audit period. No price discounts (e.g. during sales campaigns) over 50 % are included in the calculation.

Cold set

A printing method in which the printing ink is fixed to the printing surface because the oil in the printing ink is absorbed by the paper.

Contract printing

In Alma Media's case, printing for outside clients such as publishers and advertising or communications agencies.

Coverage

Describes the percentage of a target group that a given medium (e.g.) newspaper reaches.

Digital printing

Printing from an original directly in digital form without the need for a film or printing plate. Enables printing of individual and targeted products.

E-mail direct

Direct advertising to the e-mail addresses of people who have given their consent (consent is legally mandatory). Advertisers are able to specify target groups for their messages from Alma Media's register of users which contains selection criteria based on user profiles.

Editorial system

A group of advanced and integrated information systems for managing the design, supervision, production and document management processes and resources related to the production of publications and media. The definition covers journalistic, publication, media and technical processes.

Employee turnover

The number of permanent, full-time employees leaving the company during the year as a percentage of total personnel. In Alma Media's case, this figure does not include newspaper delivery staff, who are treated as part-time employees.

Heat set

A printing method in which the printing ink is fixed to the printing surface using heat (e.g. in a gas-fired drying oven) to evaporate the solvents in the ink.

Interactive service

A service that enables viewers to relay their own comments or instructions back to the broadcasting company. To communicate interactively, viewers do not necessarily need a two-way communication device; they can also use the service by browsing teletext for example. On the other hand the service is only truly 'interactive' when viewers are able to vote, for example, at the same time as other viewers.

IPR (Intellectual Property Rights)

Certain 'intangible assets' of a company such as patents, trademarks and copyright.

Mobile device

A 'terminal device' such as a mobile phone, PDA (personal digital assistant) or palmtop computer that the user carries on his or her person. Mobile devices employ wireless communications and some also have an Internet connection.

Multichannel editing

An editorial department in which news is produced for several channels of distribution, e.g. newspapers, television, the Internet and mobile devices.

Page loading

Used to measure the popularity of Internet pages. Not suitable for comparing different web pages since some pages are structured to allow more page loading than others. A web page's photos, advertisements and other graphic elements will increase the amount of loading.

RISC study

A study performed by the Research Institute for Social Change to determine opinions.

Superdesk

A newsdesk. e.g. Kauppalehti's newsdesk, able to produce news in forms suitable for several media.

Tabloid

A newspaper format that is half the size of the large newspaper format, or broadsheet. An example in Finland is Iltalehti, 280 mm wide by 400 mm high.

User

A term used to describe the popularity of Internet pages. Each PC connected to the Internet has its own IP (Internet Protocol) address. The term 'users' or 'different users' refers to the total number of IP addresses that have 'visited' a given Internet page. The term does not mean the same as the total number of viewers of a TV programme, for example, since several people in the same household can use the same PC although in this case only one IP address is registered. The term 'visitor' is also used.

Visitor

A synonym for the 'user' of an Internet website. See 'user'.

Page last updated 06.10.2008