media glossary

N

napr
National Association of Publishers Representatives.

nameserver
A computer that manages Internet names and numeric addresses.

national equivalency
If an advertisement runs in a regional or demographic edition, the National Equivalency count is determined pro-rata by either revenue or circulation. For example: an absolute space count of 1.00 normally worth $10,000 will have a National Equivalency count of half (.50) if the dollar value of the regional or demographics $5,000. An absolute space count of 1.00 normally circulated to 100,000 readers will have a National Equivalency count of half (.50) if the circulation of the advertisement is reduced by half (50,000). (See N.E. Space, Space Equivalency)

navigator
Software that helps the user find his way through the potentially vast array of programming, information, shopping and services. many companies are working on navigator type programs. Some include Bell Atlantic’s Stargazer, TV Guide On-Screen and Your Choice TV from Discovery Channel Networks. They often use metaphors like floors in a building or pages of a book. Everyone wants his navigator to be what Windows is to PCs.

Neal Award
Given annually by the American Business Press for editorial excellence.

negative
Usually describes a sheet of photographic film that, after exposure and processing, is dark where the original was light and vice versa.

negative option
A buying plan in which the customer receives a mailing that says he will receive a product/service unless he responds by a certain date that he does not want it. By not responding, he is ordering the product/service and is agreeing to pay for it.

net
The actual price paid after all discounts, allowances, and other authorized deductions have been taken. (See Balance Due, Amount Due)

net guru
A person with unimpeachable Internet expertise.

net name arrangemen
t An agreement between list owner and list user in which the list owner agrees to accept an adjusted payment for less than the total names shipped. This agreement is reached at the time of ordering or before ordering. Such arrangements can be for a percentage of names shipped or names actually mailed (whichever is greater) or for only those names actually mailed (without a percentage elimination). They can provide for a running charge or not.

net surfing
What some office workers do when they should be doing something else. The term refers to logging on to the Internet and scanning through discussion groups to pick up information or gossip.

net, the
A colloquial term that is used to refer to the entirety of Cyberspace: the Internet, the commercial services, BBSs, etc.

netiquette
The rules of cyberspace civility, enforced exclusively by fellow users (netizens).

network
A system of computers and other hardware and software that is connected and allows users to transmit data and messages. (See Notwork)

network address
A label that enables machines on a computer network to identify each other uniquely and to exchange information. An e-mail address usually takes the form of an individual name, a group name, and a domain name separated by the @ sign, such as bozo@clown.org or gates@microsoft.com.

network operating system
Software that allows a PC or a larger server machine to manage files and handle other central networking functions. The most popular one is NetWare, from Novell Inc.

newbie
A newcomer to the Net.

newsgroup
Public bulletin board on the Internet. The more than 10,000 newsgroups are organized by subject and collectively known as Usenet.

NII
National Information Infrastructure, a synonym for information superhighway. NII is used loosely to mean the technical and public-policy changes needed to make high-speed networking ubiquitous. Really big thinkers talk about GII, for Global Information Infrastructure.

nixie
A mailing piece returned to a mailer (under proper authorization) by the postal service because of an incorrect or undeliverable name and address.

node
Any single computer connected to a network.

non-supplied insert Multiple pages of advertising printed separately by the publisher for binding into an issue. Usually printed on heavier stock. Advertiser pays a different rate, back-up charges-if any, and printing and paper costs.

notwork
A network that isn’t performing as advertised. Companies tend to move slowly to new technologies, fearing they may spend more time as notworks than networks.

NSF (National Science Foundation)
The U.S. government agency originally responsible for operation of the Internet backbone for the United States. NSF is backing away from that responsibility.

NTSC
The National Telvision Systems Committee, established by the FCC to create a standard for American TV transmission. The NTSC format consists of 525 lines, interlaced, with a frame rate of 60 lines per second.

number portability
Allows a customer to retain the same phone number when changing carriers.