Caucus Mix
Ads* in the Closing Days of the 2008 Iowa Caucus Campaign
from evening newscasts on KCCI Channel 8 (CBS...a Hearst-Argyle station) "Iowa's News Leader"
*Ads listed below do not include station and network promos.
This section made possible through the assistance of Robert A. Ussery of Des Moines.

In the closing days of the Iowa caucus campaign 14 groups were running campaign-related ads during the evening newscasts on this Des Moines station -- ten campaigns (six Democrats and four Republicans) and four interest groups.  Whether by choice or for budgetary reasons several of the campaigns largely stayed with one final ad, while others ran a mix.  The ads were mostly positive except a Romney ad targeting Huckabee and a ClubforGrowth.net ad also targeting Huckabee.  On Caucus eve the Clinton and Obama campaigns ran special two-minute ads.  KCCI seemed to avoid running campaign ads in the first ad breaks of their newscasts, possibly so as not to cause ad-weary viewers to change the channel.  Ads by supportive groups frequently ran adjacent to the ads of the campaigns those groups were supporting (AFSCME PEOPLE ad followed by the Clinton ad; Alliance for a New America and Working 4 Working Americans ads next to Edwards ads).  One possible explanation is that the media buyers are the same for the campaigns and the supportive groups.
Sun., Dec. 30, 2007 Mon., Dec. 31, 2007 Tues., Jan. 1, 2008 Wed., Jan. 2, 2008

Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008
"Now  at 5"
>>> Ad Break 1 . Ad Break 2 .
[News starts] L.A. Weight Loss "United" (:30) Clinton newsp.
 		 "Defender of Freedom"
2 cont'd >> . Ad Break 3 . .
"A Way Out" "Judgment" Arby's (:15) Clinton newsp.
 		 "Together"
3 cont'd >> . . Ad Break 4 .
"Substance" "Office" Arby's (:15) "Bishop" (1min.)
 		 "30 Years"
4 cont'd >> . . .
Alliance for a New America Working 4 Working Americans [News wrap up, end] "Leader" (2min.)
Total ads: 17 (includes two 15 sec. ads) totaling 9 minutes.  Total campaign ads: 14 totaling 8 minutes.
Groups running campaign ads: 11.  Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Paul, Richardson, Romney, FThompson;
Alliance for a New America, ClubforGrowth.net, Working 4 Working Americans.
Note: Ad break 4 is all Edwards and pro-Edwards groups.

"Now  at 6"
>>> Ad Break 1 . Ad Break 2 .
[Headlines, news] Alliance for a New America AFSCME People "Our Values" mwatoday.com (:15)
2 cont'd >> . Ad Break 3 . .
"Would" "Defender of Freedom" "Time for Truth" Working 4 Working Americans "Everywhere"
3 cont'd >> . .Ad Break 4 . .
"Together" "Substance" "Action" "Office" "Defender of Freedom"
4 cont'd >> . .Post-Newscast Ads .
"United" (:30) [News wrap up, end] "Crossroads-IA" (2min.) ["Inside Edition"]
Total ads: 16 totaling 9 minutes 15 seconds.  Total campaign ads: 15 totaling 9 minutes.
Groups running campaign ads: 13.  Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Huckabee, Obama, Paul, Romney, FThompson;
AFSCME PEOPLE, Alliance for a New America, ClubforGrowth.net, Working 4 Working Americans.

"Now at 10"
>>> Ad Break 1 . . Ad Break 2
[News starts] Schaffer's US Cellular Lipitor
 		 "A Way Out"
2 cont'd >> . . Ad Break 3 .
"Defender of Freedom" Clinton newsp. AFSCME People "United" (:30) "Substance"
3 cont'd >> . Ad Break 4 . .
Re-Bath "Hope" "Together" "Our Values" "Office"
4 cont'd >> . Ad Break 5 . .
Working 4 Working Americans "Choice" Alliance for a New America "Substance" Thank You Iowa
5 cont'd >> . .
Prairie Life Fitness "Judgment" [News ends/"Late Show" starts]
Total broadcast time:
Total ads: 21 totaling 10 minutes 30 seconds.  Total campaign ads: 16 totaling 8 minutes.
Groups running campaign ads: 14.  Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Huckabee, Obama, Paul, Richardson, Romney,
FThompson; AFSCME PEOPLE, Alliance for a New America, ClubforGrowth.net, Working 4 Working Americans.
 
Thank You Iowa

 
Sun., Dec. 30, 2007 Mon., Dec. 31, 2007 Tues., Jan. 1, 2008 Wed., Jan. 2, 2008

 

Copyright © 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action