. Sam Vitt (1926-2003) Vitt Media International, New York List No. 97 of 100 Go to the Next Person of the Century The first wave of independent media buyers in the 1960s included fast-buck promoters with dubious barter deals as new creative boutiques sought media-buying expertise. Vitt, a full-service agency pro who headed Ted Bates' media department, saw a need for bona fide expertise and left Bates in 1964 to set up his independent media buying service. His Vitt Media brought wider acceptance to the new field as it handled, a la carte, the planning, buying and programming duties for the new creative shops as well as large- and medium-size shops. This "outside media department" approach altered traditional full-service agency structures and agency-client relationships. All Rights Reserved © 1999 & 2005, Advertising Age Crain Communications, Inc. editor@AdAge.com .