Obama’s Unusual Primetime Exposure

Sen Barack Obama's campaign is funneling almost one-half of its TV ad spending into primetime. Primary-season political advertising traditionally has been clustered around local news, based on conventional wisdom that viewers attuned to the political process -- and likely to actually vote -- are probably watching the 5 o’clock news, not American Idol. But the Obama campaign poured more than 40% of its TV cash into primetime, compared with about 18% for the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), according to data from TNS Media Intelligence. That strategy reinforces Obama’s appeal with young voters who have rallied around him. It also casts the widest possible net for undecided voters. Primetime ad buys are the most expensive. But Obama can afford it: The campaign raised $40 million in March alone, doubling Clinton’s take. "It’s a conscious strategy to broaden his base and broaden his appeal, but also it’s putting that cash advantage that he’s got to work," said Evan Tracey, chief operating officer of the Campaign Media Analysis Group at TNS. "They’re not waiting. They’re bringing [cash] in online and sending it out on the TV."
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