television ads

[njbchbum]

now that we are just hours away from the election polls closing...what will the tv stations be advertising in place of the political ads?

for the life of me, i can't remember what was being advertised before the political ads took over!!!!

[graciegirl]

I don't remember either, but the silence will be a blessing. I will even welcome that gecko who wants to sell me insurance.

[BogeyBoy]

Lots of cars for sale. Grace will once again be pushing those Hyundai's.

I also think all shows were shortened to allow for all the political ads. They will now go back to full length programing. (I have no idea if this happened but it sure seemed like non-stop political ads and there are only 60 minutes in each hour, where did they find the time to squeeze in those ads?)

[tony]

I suspect they have to decline other, higher paying ads to make room for the political ads.

[zcaveman]

I predict that the car ads will come back in full force.

[golfnut]

tony, why do political ads pay less...gn

[Talk Host]

I suspect they have to decline other, higher paying ads to make room for the political ads.

Tony is absolutely right. Radio and Television stations are required by federal law to give candidates the lowest unit rate available at the station. That is, if they ran an ad for Uncle Walter's pet shop at 2 a.m. on July 9th for $8, they have to give that rate to the candidate. "The lowest Unit Rate."

So, the car dealer who pays $150 for each ad has to be bumped to make room for the lowest unit rate payer.

Additionally, Radio and Television stations are forbidden by law to refuse to accept political advertising if they accept even one. If they do none, then they don't have to do any, but if they do even one, they have to do them all.

Most radio and television stations hate political ads. And, there is a ton of paperwork that has to be done by both the candidate and the station, then filed with the FCC. If you think it's a nightmare to watch them, you can't imagine the nightmare it is to run them.

JLK

[njbchbum]

car ads! aaarrrggghhh! what is left to advertise! another one bit the dust yesterday - pontiac! swell! foreign cars! oh, gracie - i'm with you - silence would be a blessing! but i don't know if i can take the gecko! maybe progressive insurance wil spring something new!

[golfnut]

wow, I did not know that, any thoughts on why they should be given such a special advantage, the rate at 2 in the morning is not the same as 2 in the afternoon, why do they get this advantage and no one else....gn

[LuvItHere]

They'll probably have more of those goofy ads for E.D. medications having 47 complications and contraindications listed at the end.

[LELANDJANE]

I'm just praying there won't be any runoffs!

[njbchbum]

I'm just praying there won't be any runoffs!

oh mercy! that thought never crossed my mind! perish the thought!

[Talk Host]

wow, I did not know that, any thoughts on why they should be given such a special advantage, the rate at 2 in the morning is not the same as 2 in the afternoon, why do they get this advantage and no one else....gn


It's a complicated mess that has to do with the first amendment. Broadcast stations could easily make it difficult or impossible for one candidate or another to not be able to have equal access by manipulating the rates. So the FCC stepped in years ago and said, "in order to make it fair for everybody, you must charge them one rate....the lowest rate."

Some stations are getting around this rule by sort of "auctioning off" the lowest rate. It's complicated but the way it goes is, Client A negotiates a rate of $50 per spot. That's the lowest rate. But before it's sold, Client B steps in and says I want that spot and I'll pay $52. That's a new low rate. Then C then D and so on. Enter, now, the candidate and his low unit rate has been established by "D" who outbid A, B and C.

Complicated, HUH? You bet it is, and It's very closely watched by the FCC.

[jblum8156]

It's always cars in the fall. It's got to the point that I have to DVR everything so I can fast forward the commercials.

[golfnut]

why can't the rate for political be the same as the lowest for that hourly time slot for commercial, as opposed to 24 hours, i think i know the answer i'm just sayin'......gn

[jebartle]

Miss Gracie (Where everyone rides!) and that Dad-gum Newlin "Will be Back"

[Talk Host]

why can't the rate for political be the same as the lowest for that hourly time slot for commercial, as opposed to 24 hours, i think i know the answer i'm just sayin'......gn


Actually that's exactly what's happening now. Like everything else, the stations are figuring ways to go around the ruling. They are creating time blocks and establishing low unit rates for those time blocks saying they never sell political ads outside those time blocks.

However, this is also happening. Just because they have to charge the lowest rate, that doesn't mean the candidate has to PAY the lowest rate. So the bigger the campaign budget, the better the position.

Candidate A wants to be in the "Today" show for a low unit rate of $200. But candidate B says "I want that same slot and I'll pay $250." They go back to candidate A and say, "Wanna pay $300?"

In ads for national office, the voice of the candidate must appear somewhere in the ad.

All broadcast and print ads must, by law, display in certain size type exactly who is paying for the ad.

JLK

I'm over simplifying this, its a nightmare. Also, there is never any credit extended to any political candidate, not even for president. It's cash up front or no airtime.

[2newyorkers]

Holiday commercials. Kays, Jarretts and Zales commercials until you want to scream!

[Talk Host]

why can't the rate for political be the same as the lowest for that hourly time slot for commercial, as opposed to 24 hours, i think i know the answer i'm just sayin'......gn

Since you seem to have an interest in this (maybe mild) and apparently some understanding of it, I have a chance to talk about something I am fairly familiar with.

When an advertiser buys a big schedule he typically receives some "bonus spots." Commercials that are either free or very cheap. Those "bonus spots" run BTA (best time available). Most often, the best time available is in real crummy time slots (2a.m.). But sometimes, through cancellations or just plain lack of sales, the best time available happens to be in the "Today Show," or even the Super Bowl. It doesn't happen often, but it happens. So, it's entirely feasible that the lowest unit rate this year in the "Today" show was a bonus spot logged at $5. Boom, lowest unit rate for that time slot.

Many, Many ad agencies buy an ad "near" the super bowl, knowing that there could be a cancellation at the last minute and their cheaper spot could end up inside the super bowl itself. I have done it myself and the ads have ended up inside the super bowl.

Another trick is for crafty advertisers to call the station at 4:30 and ask, "are there any openings in the "Today" show tomorrow morning?" If the answer is yes, the advertiser will say, "I'll by all those openings for $20 each." $20 each is better than no dollars each and better than a $5 bonus spot. Boom..........the lowest unit rate for that time slot.


JLK