Political ads are the gift that keeps on giving to local TV stations.
"Overall, [media agency] Magna Global says political advertising is expected to hit $2.7 billion for 2012 — a 30% gain over the $2.1 billion level in 2010, reports our good friend Wayne Friedman of MediaPost’s Media Daily News.
Friedman also wrties: "Interpublic’s Magna Global unit says there has been a nearly 30% surge to almost $274 million in political advertising in the second quarter of this year, compared to a similar period in the last big political advertising year, 2010"
The article adds, "Vincent Letang, executive vice president and director of global forecasting of Magna, stated: ‘Without political ad spend, Magna believes that local television ad revenues would have been up 2% this year; with political effect, it will grow by an average 14%. The bonanza will be much bigger in swing states.’"
Is that actual spending, meaning funds changing hands… or is it billing being reported?
Coming from a background with ties to print industries, I have picked up an earful about the history of campaign spending.
Deadbeat doesn’t begin to describe what goes on.