The great flood of spots
US elections Three winners have already been determined: the major TV networks. The most money is flowing into swing states - regions with unclear majorities.
US elections Three winners have already been determined: the major TV networks. The most money flows into swing states - regions with unclear majorities. Election campaigns in the USA are primarily run via one medium: television. The overwhelming majority of Americans receive political information via TV anyway, and every four years another aspect is added: 70 percent of all eligible voters form their opinion of the presidential candidates through party advertising, says Karen Cartee, professor of journalism at the University of Alabama and author of "Manipulation of the American Voter". This is not a new phenomenon, but has been observed since 1978. "These people are passive, pay little attention to politics and only know political positions in buzzwords. "How to appeal to such an indolent clientele is of little concern to the strategists of Bush and Kerry: Both sides bombard them with election ads as often and as long as they can. And preferably in the context of primetime news shows, because viewers are then (even) less able to distinguish between fact and fiction, says Cartee.
Up to ten spots per hour ...
As in many states - which play a decisive role in the US electoral system - the majorities for one candidate or another have long been determined, the focus is on a handful of so-called "swing states". In these states, either the ratio of Democratic and Republican voters is relatively balanced or the number of undecided voters is high. These include Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Nevada.
TV providers in these states can rub their hands with glee, as election advertising is bringing them record revenues. According to Joel Rivlin, Vice Director of the Wisconsin Advertising Project at the University of Madison, these stations are "currently making the highest profits in their history". But the dollars are distributed unevenly. According to Rivlin, only 27 percent of all US voters live in the top 50 television markets. However, 87 percent of all commercials were and are broadcast here. According to the current project study, Miami was at the top in a two-week period in September and October (see table). During prime time, that can be as many as ten commercials per hour.
Especially those regional or city stations that belong to the ratings-strong networks ABC, NBC and CBS can hardly save themselves from party advertising at the moment. Nevertheless, they have to find a balance between the needs of their regular customers and the political advertisers, Rivlin points out. "Because after November 2, this income will disappear just as suddenly as it came."
The profiteers themselves are stingy with information about their additional revenues. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in Wisconsin, for example, which owns seven TV stations, reports additional income of 136 percent from TV advertising. According to Advertising Age, the stations in Philadelphia, the TV market that spends the most money on election ads after Cleveland, will receive a total of 160 million extra dollars - the highest sum in the history of election advertising. ABC is expected to receive
10 million dollars, NBC 7 million and CBS 6.5 million.
Election advertising by independent political groups is particularly welcome to the regional network offshoots. According to the new funding laws, they are called "527 Committees". These include, for example, Moveon.org and The Media Fund, which are close to the Democrats, or Progress for America and Veterans for Truth on the Republican side.
... but ad-free debates
Since the beginning of July, they alone have collected 55 million dollars (Kerry faction) and 45 million dollars (Bushists) respectively, the lion's share of which was immediately invested in television advertising.
However, the immense influence of the presidential elections on the US media industry can also have a negative impact. According to a calculation by analyst Jack Myers, the three national networks ABC, CBS and NBC lost a total of around 150 million dollars during the three debates because they are required by law to broadcast them uninterrupted and free of advertising.
In addition, even in times of Michael Moore and Fox News, media companies must be careful not to show their political colors too clearly. Sinclair Broadcast, for example, whose top managers are among the biggest donors to the Republicans, announced the broadcast of an anti-Kerry documentary a few weeks ago. As a result, the share price of the listed company plummeted and individual major customers canceled their bookings ad hoc. The share price only recovered when Sinclair clarified that it "naturally" only wanted to show short excerpts from the propaganda film.
TV political advertising and debates shape the climate of opinion in the USA.
Gerti Schön
Up to ten spots per hour ...
As in many states - which play a decisive role in the US electoral system - the majorities for one candidate or another have long been determined, the focus is on a handful of so-called "swing states". In these states, either the ratio of Democratic and Republican voters is relatively balanced or the number of undecided voters is high. These include Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Nevada.
TV providers in these states can rub their hands with glee, as election advertising is bringing them record revenues. According to Joel Rivlin, Vice Director of the Wisconsin Advertising Project at the University of Madison, these stations are "currently making the highest profits in their history". But the dollars are distributed unevenly. According to Rivlin, only 27 percent of all US voters live in the top 50 television markets. However, 87 percent of all commercials were and are broadcast here. According to the current project study, Miami was at the top in a two-week period in September and October (see table). During prime time, that can be as many as ten commercials per hour.
Especially those regional or city stations that belong to the ratings-strong networks ABC, NBC and CBS can hardly save themselves from party advertising at the moment. Nevertheless, they have to find a balance between the needs of their regular customers and the political advertisers, Rivlin points out. "Because after November 2, this income will disappear just as suddenly as it came."
The profiteers themselves are stingy with information about their additional revenues. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in Wisconsin, for example, which owns seven TV stations, reports additional income of 136 percent from TV advertising. According to Advertising Age, the stations in Philadelphia, the TV market that spends the most money on election ads after Cleveland, will receive a total of 160 million extra dollars - the highest sum in the history of election advertising. ABC is expected to receive
10 million dollars, NBC 7 million and CBS 6.5 million.
Election advertising by independent political groups is particularly welcome to the regional network offshoots. According to the new funding laws, they are called "527 Committees". These include, for example, Moveon.org and The Media Fund, which are close to the Democrats, or Progress for America and Veterans for Truth on the Republican side.
... but ad-free debates
Since the beginning of July, they alone have collected 55 million dollars (Kerry faction) and 45 million dollars (Bushists) respectively, the lion's share of which was immediately invested in television advertising.
However, the immense influence of the presidential elections on the US media industry can also have a negative impact. According to a calculation by analyst Jack Myers, the three national networks ABC, CBS and NBC lost a total of around 150 million dollars during the three debates because they are required by law to broadcast them uninterrupted and free of advertising.
In addition, even in times of Michael Moore and Fox News, media companies must be careful not to show their political colors too clearly. Sinclair Broadcast, for example, whose top managers are among the biggest donors to the Republicans, announced the broadcast of an anti-Kerry documentary a few weeks ago. As a result, the share price of the listed company plummeted and individual major customers canceled their bookings ad hoc. The share price only recovered when Sinclair clarified that it "naturally" only wanted to show short excerpts from the propaganda film.
TV political advertising and debates shape the climate of opinion in the USA.
Gerti Schön
