St. Louis Looks For Political Ad Windfall
Most markets are expected to see significant political ad spending in 2012, but few will see the level of back-to-back political advertising as St. Louis. Because of its location on the Missouri-Illinois border, St. Louis will receive political spending from both states. In fact, for over half of next year the market will be in a lowest-unit-rate political window for one race or another.
Too much of a good thing? TV stations will be getting a whiff of this next year when it comes to a really big kick up of TV political ad revenues — estimated to net north of $3.2 billion. The rub of these big election years always hits regular, nontraditional political advertisers like a black-eye.
The election cycle of 2012 is expected to be very lucrative for some stations, which will also benefit from charging cable and satellite distributors for the rights to retransmit their signals. A period of consolidation is under way in local television — and with it, a renewed debate about the implications of merger and acquisition activity on the industry.
States Playing Musical Chairs With Primaries
Earlier primaries and Super PACs are changing the face of the 2012 elections. For TV stations, that means gearing up political sales policies and inventory planning; the opportunity for more revenue from the political season; and the need for earlier-than-usual attention to FCC, Federal Election Commission and state political ad requirements. In this first of two parts, the ramifications of the ever-shifting primary schedule are examined.
Early Voting Means Early Opportunity For TV
Stations need to learn all about early voting in their markets. Consider the impact on schedule placement and demand on inventory if campaigners realize that voting decisions are being made, earlier, by a meaningful portion of the electorate. Imagine the benefit to all involved as you help campaigners deliver their messages earlier in the cycle and better achieve their objectives at the same time. You can give them more of what they want (greater access to your audiences and better efficiencies) and they can give you more of what you want (their ongoing investment).
