Barack Obama to pay big for primetime buy ($961K-CBS $891K + $775K-NBC for 3-30min ads)

Hollywood Reporter ^ | October 10, 2008 | Paul Gough

[Longstreet63]

NEW YORK -- Barack Obama will pay NBC and CBS almost $1 million each for the campaign's half-hour ad buy in primetime Wednesday, Oct. 29, less than a week before the election.

According to papers available at CBS's headquarters in New York, the campaign agreed Monday to pay $961,000 for the entire 8-8:30 pm time period. It wasn't clear whether that was in pattern, meaning it would run across all time zones at that period.

[Longstreet63]

Well, money shouldn't be an issue if McCain wants to do the same...

[frogjerk]

That is it? Something smell fishy here...

[Nervous Tick]

>> Barack Obama will pay NBC and CBS almost $1 million each

Is it just me, or does that sound like a sweetheart rate (for the media’s sweetheart NObama)?

[frogjerk]

McCain should just say that he’ll contribute as well and they can have another, real town-hall debate.

[snarkytart]

Exactly...they would have to offer McCain the same deal.
One million is not that much.

[goldstategop]

Why such an expensive buy - if as Gallup says - the election is the bag for Obama. That makes no sense whatsoever - unless in fact, Obama is far behind!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[KarlInOhio]

The typical half hour show will have 8 minutes of commercials to make revenue to cover the entire show. How much would it cost to buy 8 minutes of commercials nationally in prime time?

[My Favorite Headache]

Yesterday they were saying estimates would be nearly 15-20 million for each network. WHAT IN THE HELL HAPPENED OVERNIGHT?

[Alter Kaker]

It will be in the middle of a possible Game 6 of the World Series. Maybe 20 people will watch Obama.

[Sgt_Schultze]

McCain/Palin should buy the 8:30 to 9:00 time slot on the same nets. Answer the lies.

[KarlInOhio]

Why such an expensive buy - if as Gallup says - the election is the bag for Obama. That makes no sense whatsoever - unless in fact, Obama is far behind!

Unlike a regular advertising campaign where if you save money it goes to the bottom line, a political campaign can't just keep the cash for future advertising after the election. They probably just saw that they had more money than they were going to spend in the last 3.5 weeks at the current burn rate.

[mojito]

Next headline:

Networks Give Obama “Sweetheart” Deal.

[The Wizard]

well, it is the two deadest channels.....but this is a sweetheart deal.....it should have been much more, but the real problem is getting ANYONE to watchthe bomb for that long

[Salamander]

If he wins, look forward to 24/7 Zero TV pontifications, a la “Big Brother”.

You won’t be able to turn him off.

[ChicagoT]

I hope McCain/Palin will do the same! This would be money well spent!

[Mr. K]

I bet Palin could MAKE MONEY selling commercial time for a half-hour show featuring her

[stylin19a]

they have to, by law, offer the same deal to McCain.

[babydubya1981]

I can already see the MSM headlines “Obama inspires America”.

He truly is a narcissist.

[SueRae]

I hope CBS/NBC goes down in flames ...

[nhwingut]

I say they buy a half hour too. And then run the Best of Rev Wright - a prime time special.

[Nervous Tick]

>> they have to, by law, offer the same deal to McCain.

Well, sort of. The 29th is the last Wednesday before the election. What if the drivebys tell McCain that thursday, friday, saturday, sunday or monday are ten times more expensive? When pressed, they could claim that McCain can have Wednesday night Nov. 5th for $1MM per half-hour, but any other day (or a different time, same day) isn’t apples and oranges.

I bet that’s exactly why Obummer picked the 29th.

[auto power]

Let me tell you, as a Hoosier, how Obama’s campaigns are playing here in Indiana....they are turning people OFF. His constant rhetoric about how McCain is the problem is more than the people of Indiana can stand. His voice and “smirk” are driving people away. The only thing we enjoy is that Indiana is reaping the money he’s paying for his commericals here....but they’re not going to vote for this jackass.

[goldstategop]

The MSM/Drivebys are hoping for something explosive from Tasergate to come up in Alaska today. They don't think this ad buy is good news from their guy. They've propped him up like the dead stiff in Weekend at Bernie's. Nothing they've done has worked. McCain-Palin haven't gotten the message the election is over!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[COBOL2Java]

Is it just me, or does that sound like a sweetheart rate (for the media’s sweetheart NObama)?

The Obama campaign called and said "Hello, I'd like to have the MoveOn.org rate, please..."

[wideawake]

The average cost of a network primetime 30-second commercial spot in the second quarter was $130,089.

A full half-hour, at those rates, should cost $7.8M.

The Obama campaign is getting an 88% discount.

[NetSurfer]

McCain just needs to make sure he schedules his prime-time response to this BS after Obama airs his "infomercial".

1MM is chump change for that opportunity!

[Yogafist]

McCain campaign should by commercial time at the beginning and run the opening sequence from The Twilight Zone.

[April Lexington]

Well... now we know what a half hour of broadcast TV is worth! I doubt anyone other than those who can't afford cable will watch. And, they are probably on Obama’s side already. Sounds like desperation to me.

[tet68]

Actually it was probably more along the lines of...

“Nice network you got here....be a shame if any thing happened to it.”

[April Lexington]

THat slot should be real cheap. Pepole will have left for the refrigerator or bathroom just after the O starts uh, uh, um, ahh, ta,talking...

[goldstategop]

Yep. They're in the tank for him and this reeks of pure desperation. Again - if the election is over, why do you need to purchase a multimillion dollar TV ad buy the week before the election?

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[KansasGirl]

Obama doesn’t just want to win. He wants to win big. He wants a mandate. Per, his wife.

[Bob J]

Why doesn’t this “discount” amount to an in-kind donation?

[ImProudToBeAnAmerican]

NObama is buying network time to counteract the HUGE bump McPain/PALIN will receive after Sarah's appearance on Saturday Night Live the weekend prior.

You read it here first..

[o2bfree]

I think this media buy give Obama a chance to respond to the real OCTOBER SURPRISE which has yet to be commenced.

There is something really good coming. With Barack’s checkered past you can count on it!

[Cyber Liberty]

How much would it cost to buy 8 minutes of commercials nationally in prime time?

Probably just under $1M bucks. They're selling it to him for the exact amount they'll lose in ad buys. Which is another way of telling us the stuff between the commercials is worthless filler. But I digress....

[jeffo]

Everyone has to stop using the word “mandate” so much. Makes Barney Frank excited.

[drc43]

"That makes no sense whatsoever - unless in fact, Obama is far behind! "

BINGO!!

[KansasGirl]

[McCain/Palin should buy the 8:30 to 9:00 time slot on the same nets. Answer the lies.]

Let me make a prediction. That time slot will not be available.

[festus]

yup

[stylin19a]

I understand. and you are exactly right.

The actual rule requires that the fed candidate be allowed to buy time regardless of whether the other candidate has or has\not bought time. The stipulation regarding “equal access” (it’s really called “equal opporunities”) is in relation to audience size, not money.

i’m guessing McCain’s best buy would be a half hour directly after Obama on the same night.

[AU72]

30 minutes is a very long time for a typical TV viewer to watch a talking head unless That One plans to have some laser lights and a performance by Ludicras.

[smokingfrog]

[Doe Eyes]

The average cost of a network primetime 30-second commercial spot in the second quarter was $130,089. A full half-hour, at those rates, should cost $7.8M.

The Obama campaign is getting an 88% discount.

If the networks would only sell the whole half hour for commercials and stop paying for those silly shows, they would make far more money. I think you have hit upon a new business model. The all commericial network.

[FreedomProtector]

That is really cheap...CBS basically gave it away.

According to TargetCast, the average price of a 30-second ad fell the most on CBS. It dropped about 10.8%, falling to $116,729 from $130,896. At NBC, the average cost fell about 6.2% to $102,928 from $109,764. At Fox, the average cost fell 2.3% to $194,969 from $199,637. Only ABC was able to muster a price increase. According to TargetCast, the average price of a 30-second spot on the Walt Disney network rose 1.1% to $133,774 from $132,368

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/10/06/price-of-a-30-second-tv-spot-slumps-41/5745

An hour long show typically lasts for 42 min w/ 18 min of commercials. A 1/2 show typically lasts for 21 min w/ 9 min of commericals (or 18 half min commercials).

To buy every commercial on a half hour show on CBS: 116,729*18=2,101,122 more then double what Obama paid.

To buy every commercial on a half hour show on FOX: 194,969*18=3,504,528 more then 3.5x what Obama paid.

[absolootezer0]

I doubt anyone other than those who can't afford cable will watch.

you underestimate the purchase power of the welfare class.
when you get free food, free health care, reduced rate housing, cash assistance, home heating credits, etc., combined with all the rent-to-own electronics stores, it makes it easy to buy the newest nikes for your kids, that escalde, a ps3, big screen tv, and cable or satellite.

[ravingnutter]

Why does he want to do that when he has his own channel:

New TV Channel: All Obama All The Time

[Onerom99]

CBS/NBC are required to offer this same block to McCain for that price are they not?

[proudtobeanamerican1]

I don’t think I’ll be able to watch that. His commercial with his his patriotic grandparents and loving mother were enough for me.

[proudtobeanamerican1]

I don’t think I’ll be able to watch that. His commercial with his his patriotic grandparents and loving mother were enough for me.