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Media Analyst Predicts Political TV Spending Will Top $1 Bil in 2006

Apr 20, 2006  •  Post A Comment

Political spending on TV will top $1 billion in 2006 and might top the record set in 2004, predicted Evan Tracey, chief operating officer of the campaign media analysis group at TNS Media Intelligence.

Speaking at the Television Bureau of Advertising’s annual marketing conference in New York on Thursday, Mr. Tracey said that half of the gubernatorial races, 40 percent of Senate races and 50 to 60 House races are considered to be in play.

Those races could drive political spending above the $1.7 billion mark set in 2004. In the first quarter of this year $160 million was spent on political ads, mostly issue ads, Mr. Tracey said. Early primaries in Texas, New York, California, Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island generated $57 million in spending.