Iowa's airwaves already 'saturated' with political ads for U.S. Senate race

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Jason Noble

With the money that was spent between late June and mid-September, campaigners in the race for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat could have bought every registered voter in Iowa a couple of gallons of gas or a gourmet burrito.

Instead, they aired more than 30,000 TV ads. And that’s probably just the start.

Combatants in the closely fought battle over Iowa’s first open Senate seat in 40 years have already spent $13.8 million on broadcast TV commercials. That breaks down to $7.21 for each of the state’s 1.9 million registered voters, according to a joint analysis of public records by The World-Herald, the Des Moines Register and six other newspapers serving Iowa.

The campaigns for Democrat Bruce Braley and Republican Joni Ernst have spent roughly the same amount, about $1.2 million each. But add in spending by outside groups, and Braley and his allies spent $1.9 million more for ads during the period analyzed.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/politics/iowa-s-airwaves-already-saturated-with-political-ads-for-u/article_45d8be51-ada8-5942-8fae-dbd5e8436e4d.html

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About this report
This report is the result of a collaboration among eight news organizations located in television broadcast markets serving Iowa.

Ten reporters examined campaign advertising records that ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox network affiliates serving Iowa television markets filed with the Federal Communications Commission. Ads aired on cable stations or satellite networks such as Dish and DirecTV were not included.

The contracts detail the agreements by U.S. Senate campaigns and political action committees to purchase time when advertising will be aired. Information gathered included the name of the committee making the purchase, the dates the ad spots began airing and ended, the number of spots included in each purchase and the gross amount spent.

The news organizations examined ad buys that began airing on or before Sept. 10 in the following markets: Omaha-Council Bluffs; Sioux Falls, South Dakota (whose coverage area includes part of northwest Iowa); Ottumwa, Iowa-Kirksville, Missouri; Burlington, Iowa-Hannibal, Missouri-Quincy, Illinois; Sioux City, Iowa; Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, Iowa; and Mason City, Iowa.

Each newspaper submitted the data it gathered to the Des Moines Register, which assembled the statewide database and offered analysis. Partner news organizations are The World-Herald, Sioux City Journal, Des Moines Register, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Ottumwa Courier, Quad-City Times and Waterloo Courier.

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