Media economy
Media people are less happy over pay
By Diego Vasquez
Oct 30, 2006, 08:20

It would seem to stand to reason that media planners and buyers would be happier with their salaries these days. The media economy is generally stronger, and younger planners are especially in demand to handle all the new business coming into agencies.

But they are not. The level of dissatisfaction over media department salaries is actually on the rise. A Media Life survey, taken over several days last week, found a decline in salary satisfaction levels from six months ago.

The question: How do you rate your agency in terms of fairness in compensation?

Nearly half, 48.3 percent, agreed with the statement: "I am less than satisfied. Our agency is generous with more senior managers but is tight-fisted when it comes to salaries and benefits of junior staffers."

That's up from 43 percent in back in April.

At the same time, the share of media people who expressed satisfaction with their salaries has declined: 35.5 percent agreed with the statement: "I’m satisfied with my salary and benefits and feel I’m fairly rewarded at my annual reviews." That figure was 41.1 percent back in April.

Just why the dissatisfaction is growing is unclear. It may simply be a case of raised expectations as the ad economy continues to improve and word gets out over the rising demand for media planners and buyers, especially those with several years’ experience.

But there also appears to be a sense, as the first answers suggest, that people now worry more that they are being passed by as raises go to others. Or, put as a question, if things are better, and others are getting raises, especially new people, how come my paycheck isn't fatter?

Media Life asked the first question a little differently to get a response as to how media people generally felt about salaries and fairness versus whether they felt they were being treated fairly by their particular agency.

The question: What is your most pressing salary concern?

The leading response by far, at 39 percent, was to agree with the statement: "I am satisfied with my salary but worry that it may be less than market value when compared with others of my experience level."

Media people seem at odds over whether salaries are going up and by how much. Their answers to the same questions over the six months are divided on whether more or fewer raises are being handed out.

The question: Based on your experience and what you’ve heard from others, are media salaries going up in general?

Last week, 6.6 percent agreed with the statement: "Yes. They’re rising substantially across the board."  That's up from 4.3 in April.

But at the same time more respondents believe a small number of raises are being handed out.

Last week, 18.8 percent agreed with the statement: "Very few people are seeing raises of any sort, and even those are very modest." That's up from 14.5 percent in April.

Certainly, salary is the leading concern among media people. Media Life asked this question: What is most important to you at your job?

Pay was way out ahead, at 56 percent. Those agreed with the statement: "Salary. I want to be paid what I'm worth."

A distant second was job flexibility, at 21.6 percent. They agreed with the statement: "I can tolerate a lot in exchange for flexible hours that allow me more time with my family."

Quality of benefits came in third at 10.3 percent and prestige--a big title at an important agency--hardly registered at 2.1 percent.

Media people believe medium-size agencies offer the fairest compensation, at 52 percent. Just under a third, 30.6 percent, think big agencies offer the fairest compensation, while 17.4 percent believe smaller agencies do. That's largely unchanged from six months ago.