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Media planner vs media relations assistant

The differences between media planners and media relations assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a media planner and a media relations assistant. Additionally, a media planner has an average salary of $58,044, which is higher than the $45,450 average annual salary of a media relations assistant.

The top three skills for a media planner include media planning, powerpoint and campaign performance. The most important skills for a media relations assistant are press releases, athletics website, and press conferences.

Media planner vs media relations assistant overview

Media PlannerMedia Relations Assistant
Yearly salary$58,044$45,450
Hourly rate$27.91$21.85
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs24,12623,773
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 89%Bachelor's Degree, 80%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a media planner do?

A media planner is responsible for managing market campaigns and promotions for clients' advertising needs through various social media platforms and other mediums of communications. Media planners handle the brand's media presence, strategizing its maximum appeal to the target audience. They coordinate closely with the clients for the progress updates, as well as informing them of any adjustments, especially on meeting the public's interests and concerns. A media planner develops innovative techniques, analyzes market data, and manage campaign results, ensuring to meet the clients' objectives and goals.

What does a media relations assistant do?

A media relations assistant is an entry-level media and public relation professional. They offer administrative support to a public relations department within an organization. They perform a number of tasks such as researching relevant trends and data that help with the company's PR campaign, helping create marketing materials, maintaining relationships with existing clients, and working to find new clients. They also have to keep accurate correspondence records and monitor social media accounts.

Media planner vs media relations assistant salary

Media planners and media relations assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Media PlannerMedia Relations Assistant
Average salary$58,044$45,450
Salary rangeBetween $48,000 And $69,000Between $32,000 And $62,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DC-
Highest paying stateWashington-
Best paying companyRPA-
Best paying industryProfessional-

Differences between media planner and media relations assistant education

There are a few differences between a media planner and a media relations assistant in terms of educational background:

Media PlannerMedia Relations Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 89%Bachelor's Degree, 80%
Most common majorCommunicationCommunication
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Media planner vs media relations assistant demographics

Here are the differences between media planners' and media relations assistants' demographics:

Media PlannerMedia Relations Assistant
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 39.2% Female, 60.8%Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage12%12%

Differences between media planner and media relations assistant duties and responsibilities

Media planner example responsibilities.

  • Partner with programmatic buying team to manage DSP campaign and ensure tactics maintain maximum efficiency.
  • Lead monthly meetings with each AE to discuss key accounts and strategize for revenue growth.
  • Manage multiple inboxes handling numerous RFP inquiries from top tier clients while training new employees on processes.
  • Manage multiple million dollar budgets, budget analysis and reconciliations.
  • Manage MRI research system generating specific demographic information for media recommendations.
  • Experience with Comscore, Nielsen, Kantar & Mediamind.
  • Show more

Media relations assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage athletic contest statistics using various programs including Dakstats and other software.
  • Calculate statistics for basketball, soccer, volleyball and baseball to later be publish online.
  • Assist in developing PowerPoint presentations, including graphs and charts.
  • Experience with all Microsoft office products, Photoshop, and accounting software.
  • Travele with men's basketball, baseball, and to championship events.
  • Increase daily likes of official Facebook page (160k likes) by 300 percent in six months.
  • Show more

Media planner vs media relations assistant skills

Common media planner skills
  • Media Planning, 11%
  • PowerPoint, 8%
  • Campaign Performance, 5%
  • MRI, 4%
  • Digital Marketing, 4%
  • Nielsen, 4%
Common media relations assistant skills
  • Press Releases, 17%
  • Athletics Website, 12%
  • Press Conferences, 4%
  • Alumni Events, 4%
  • NCAA, 4%
  • Twitter, 3%

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