Over $45 Million Spent on Broadcast in Iowa

OVER $45 MILLION SPENT ON BROADCAST IN IOWA
In Iowa, over $45 million was spent on broadcast TV ads by 12 candidates and 18 groups. That is almost half the $107 million that has been spent in all the states thus far. Add in another $6 million spent on local cable by the candidates and Iowa tops the $50 million threshold for media expenditures. Not bad for a state that saw only $9 million in TV ad spending four years ago. As I see it, New Hampshire and South Carolina will now become the focus of the ad wars. With over $26 million in ad spending in New Hampshire so far, the ad wars will not look that much different to the viewers in the Granite State with the exception of a few more negative ads. However, viewers in South Carolina will start to notice a change on their TV screens. Additionally, the TV in Michigan should see a flurry of activity from the likes of McCain and Romney, while the voters of Nevada should see a pick up in ads from the Democrats. The wildcards here are the Feb. 5 states. How will Giuliani's skipping Iowa to focus on the late states pay off for his campaign? Will Feb. 5 provide a victory lap or a pile up for one or both of the parties? The campaigns will need to look for some creative ways to communicate with voters who are not used to voting this early in an election year.
http://adage.com/campaigntrail/article?article_id=122858