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Hopefuls spend little on Valley TV — so far
YOUNGSTOWN
Candidate campaigns, special- interest groups and political- action committees have, so far, spent $563,866 to air about 3,000 political commercials on the Mahoning Valley’s five local TV network affiliates.
While that isn’t much for a presidential primary season, compared with previous years, officials at the TV affiliates say business could pick up in a hurry.
It’s largely based, they say, on the tightening Republican presidential race between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.
The Ohio primary will be Tuesday.
“Overall, yes,” said Jack Grdic, general manager for WFMJ and WBCB, the area’s NBC and CW affiliates, respectively, when asked if it’s been a soft presidential primary.
“But that could change in a big hurry,” Grdic said. “Bottom line would be the public seeing these ads for a much shorter period of time than they are accustomed.”
“Very light for a presidential primary,” said Kathy Sarna, sales representative who handles political ads for WKBN and WYFX, the local CBS and Fox affiliates, respectively. WYTV, the local ABC affiliate, operates out of the same building as WKBN and WYFX.
But, like Grdic, Sarna said a lot of money could come in at the “last minute.”
Next Tuesday is called Super Tuesday with seven states, including Ohio, having primaries and three states having caucuses. A total of 419 delegates will be up for grabs.
To secure the GOP presidential nomination, a candidate needs 1,144 delegates.
Overall, the Valley’s five local TV affiliates have been paid to air about 3,000 commercials of varying length, ranging from 15 seconds to 60 seconds.
Many commercials started airing last week and will end next Tuesday.
None of the campaigns of the four Republican presidential candidates — Romney, Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul — has spent any money on the area’s local TV affiliates.
Romney and Gingrich have “Super PACs” spend money on their campaigns.
A Super PAC can raise and spend unlimited sums from corporations, unions, associations and individuals for or against political candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Unlike a traditional PAC, a Super PAC is prohibited from donating money directly to candidates, according to the center, a research group that tracks money in politics.
As of Tuesday, Restore Our Future had spent $164,785 on the local affiliates. That’s, by far, the most of any group or candidate.
Restore Our Future is a pro-Romney Super PAC that is airing commercials critical of Santorum.
Winning Our Future, a pro-Gingrich group, purchased $51,005 worth of air time on Monday for commercials, critical of Romney, that started running Tuesday and end next Tuesday.
Super PACs supporting Santorum and Paul haven’t purchased any local TV affiliate air time.
The Youngstown television market includes Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana counties and the western portion of Stark County in Ohio as well as Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania.
Most of the money in the Youngstown TV market has gone to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s television partner, which received $306,655 for political commercials.
Among the local races, Mahoning County prosecutor candidates have spent the most money on local TV network affiliates: $83,245.
The two Democratic candidates for prosecutor are incumbent Paul J. Gains, who’s spent $36,575 on network affiliate ads, and Youngstown Prosecutor Jay Macejko, who’s spent $46,670.
That’s closely followed by Democratic primary for Mahoning County sheriff. The three candidates in that race spent $82,007 for ads on the five stations.
Jerry Greene is leading with $35,010. Jimmy Hughes has spent $29,375, and Brian Goodin has spent $17,622.