Political
campaigns generate millions of dollars, a large portion of that money dedicated
towards advertising for a party or attacking an opponent.
Brian
Schumacher, General Sales Manager at WXOW/WQOW for ABC La Crosse and Eau Claire
TV market, states approximately $2.4 million dollars was made during this
campaign season.
Both
Democrats and Republicans have rights to the lowest rates because of the FCC
rules and regulations. The FCC also requires any messages approved by candidates
cannot be denied airtime by a news station for any reason. Any messages without
consent of the candidate may indeed by denied airtime by the station.
3rd
party candidates do not receive the same benefits as the two dominate parties
and may be charged higher prices for airtime. Schumacher says there are four
separate classes of time. The first is a fixed time and non-pre-emptible,
second pre-emptible with a 48-hour notice, third pre-emptible with a 24 hour
notice, and lastly the fourth class immediately pre-emptible without notice.
Both Republican and Democrat candidates are guaranteed the lowest rates within
each class, but independent and 3rd party candidates can and have
been charged increased rates.
Rates
given by Schumacher, based on :30 second time slots in prime time and in the 4th
quarter for 2012, range from $100-$2,500 on ABC and $10-$75 on CW.
Schumacher
gave a rough estimate that Democratic candidates outspend Republicans at his
station $400,000 to $300,000 with issue groups leading for Republicans at 60%
and Democrats at 40%.
Schumacher
stated that WXOW had nine candidate campaigns: Obama, Romeny, Kind, Feehan,
Duffy, Krietlow, Thompson, Baldwin, and Vandermeer. There were 17 separate
issue groups as well.
