McCain Launches National Ad Offensive

John McCain’s campaign says it is buying the first post-primary TV advertisements of the presidential election, making the buy on cable networks including Fox News Channel, CNN and Lifetime. The campaign will use the time to give national airing to a biographical message the campaign released last week in some key battleground states. The McCain campaign declined to say how much it is spending on the ad, but the three-week national airing of the spot could indicate cable networks will benefit during the upcoming months as the McCain and Obama camps devise their advertising strategies. There has been some speculation that the increase in the number of potential states in play in November could dictate a summer of national advertising in the campaigns. Later, when the campaigns understand better which states are still in contest, more spending may shift to local TV stations. The more big states in play, the more the economics of reaching voters can tilt toward buying national advertising. Four years ago when about a dozen states were in play during the general election, most advertising was targeted to battleground states. The Obama campaign hasn't yet launched its post-primary advertising but is expected to do so in the next day or so.
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/06/mccain_launches_national_ad_of.php
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