Obama outspending McCain 4-to-1 on TV; "re-writing the rulebook for presidential advertising"

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: CNN

HEMPSTEAD, New York (CNN) –- Barack Obama is on track to spend more than $110 million on campaign commercials in October, an outstanding sum that does not include payment for the 30-minute network prime-time ads scheduled to air six days before Election Day.

Obama’s decision to opt out of the presidential public financing system has given him a distinct advantage over John McCain when it comes to airing political commercials. Obama’s daily spending on campaign ads is four times more than McCain’s – $4.5 million to $1.5 million – according to an analysis by TNSMI-Campaign Media Analysis Group, CNN’s consultant on political advertising.

Obama’s spending translates into about 7,700 airings of campaign commercials each day, more than double the 3,600 ads being run by McCain. Both candidates are running the ads in key battleground states. Obama is also on the air nationally, on network and cable, buying ads on NFL football games, soap operas and in primetime.

Obama is expected to spend between $1 million and $1.5 million on the 30-minute campaign commercials that will air on CBS, FOX and NBC on October 29, projects Evan Tracey, CMAG’s chief operating officer.

“This is more than just a message imbalance,” Tracey said. “This is, in media terms, a rout. John McCain is in a shouting match against a guy with a megaphone.”...

Tracey also said that Obama can legitimately claim he is running a 50-state campaign because he is buying network and national cable advertising....The Democratic nominee has also purchased his own channel on the Dish Network where he shows campaign videos.

“Obama is re-writing the rulebook for presidential advertising,” said Tracey....

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/16/obama-outspending-mccain-4-to-1-on-tv-could-exceed-110-million-in-october/#more-25073

[BlooInBloo]

1. The best IMO was advertising in Xbox games.

[MrsBrady]

9. wow - i had no idea n/t

[FrenchieCat]

2. Well McCain has Fox 24/7, MSNBC from 5:00 a.m. till 4:00 pm, and

CNN all day for the most part.

So I'm not sure about this "rout" thingie.

[Bonobo]

3. LOL.

[Eric J in MN]

4. Has anyone seen the Obama channel on Dish?

What's it like?

[dhpgetsit]

12. I would describe it as a low-key infomercial.

If there is an Obama ad on another station, a popup appears and if you press select, it switches you to the Obama channel. I find it quite boring since I have been following his campaign.

[aquart]

5. Because Abramoff and Cunningham are in jail.

And DeLay should be. Why isn't he?

It really altered the money flow to the Republican Party.

[Arugula Latte]

6. Maybe McCain can advertise on the early bird special menus at Sizzler in Florida.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. LOL!

[silverojo]

7. Reminds me of Reagan in 1984

I couldn't believe when the bastard was on EVERY major network for half an hour, all at the same time. As he always does, Obama learns from the past and reworks it in his own personal style.

He's very much a typical Leo--always does things in a BIG way!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. Where was the caterwauling in 2000?

:freak:

[annabanana]

11. Only candidates who are VERY popular with a lot of Americans will

ever be able to pull this off.