TV advertising spending has spiked over 80 percent this year, and Fox News is way out front in winning the gobs of cash candidates are using to advertise on national cable channels, according to one of the nation’s largest advertising groups.
Compared to 2010, the last non-presidential election year, political advertising has increased 80.5 percent, according to Viamedia, which has seen jumps in most of its 30 markets.
States with big Senate battles, such as Nebraska and Arkansas, have seen enormous political advertising spending increases.
And that’s just the beginning, said Viamedia in an online white paper. “Traditionally, political races pick up the pace dramatically after the Labor Day Weekend, all but ensuring that the dramatic growth we’ve seen so far at Viamedia is just a prelude to a two-month long stretch that promises to be a record breaker,” said the firm.
Fox so far has captured 29 percent of all political ad spending from local campaigns in its market. That’s nearly equal to the percentage Fox received in 2010, the last year for midterm elections.
Rival CNN saw its share drop from 12.5 percent in 2010 to 7.8 percent this year.
Viamedia places ads on national cable channels that have slots for local ads. The firm said most political ads are placed on Fox, CNN, ESPN, USA, HGTV, History, TNT and MSNBC.
The white paper also indicated that there is a shift going on in political advertising, with cable channels becoming the favorites of campaigns trying to focus on specific markets and people.
Viamedia explained: “For example, the following networks attract a relatively high number of ‘Strong Conservative’ viewers: FNC (462 Index); HALL (168 Index); TVL (133 Index); TWC (130 Index). And at the other end of the political spectrum, ‘Strong Liberal’: MSNBC (463 Index); CNN (312 Index).”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
