Election '08: TV Demand May Create Commercial Jams

ELECTION '08: TV DEMAND MAY CREATE COMMERCIAL JAMS
[SOURCE: MediaDailyNews, AUTHOR: Wayne Friedman]
With an expected record-breaking $3.0 billion in media to be spent in 2008--up from $2.3 billion in 2006 and $1.7 billion in 2004 -- Evan Tracey, COO of the Campaign Media Analysis Group of TNS Media Intelligence, says inventory may be too tight for some TV stations next year, possibly causing some TV commercial logjams. TNS estimates that 70% to 75% of all campaign dollars will run on either local TV stations or on local cable in 2008. Tracey believes that a growing number of presidential candidates will use some national TV -- with much of that going to the cable news and cable financial news channels: Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Headline News [no relation]. While political candidates can still request the lowest unit rate from stations, those spots continue to be subject to preemption. But because a number of states will have contests that are close and competitive, political candidates will typically spend more to secure specific TV positions that can't be changed.
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