Here comes the flood: political ad tsunami rolling in

Political groups are preparing to dump political ads on Twin Cities TV screens beginning next week. More than $2 million worth of ad time has been reserved so far between now and the Nov. 6 election, and Democrats and Republicans are expected to buy even more, the Associated Press reports.

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Updated:: Mar 8, 2018
Original:: Sep 7, 2012

Are you ready for some ... political advertisements?

At least $2 million in ad time in the Twin Cities market has been purchased by political groups, and more is likely to be spent before the Nov. 6 election, the Associated Press reports.

Ultimately, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee plans to spend $2.8 million on ads in Minnesota, a spokeswoman said. The National Republican Congressional Committee has reserved $1.2 million in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market just for the 8th District race, featuring DFLer Rick Nolan and incumbent Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack.

A 30-second spot can cost from a few hundred dollars to $20,000 during a Sunday Vikings game, the AP says.

All this means its Christmas time for broadcasters. Adweek reports that local, network and cable TV will see a 23 percent boost in revenue this year over last thanks to political advertising – perhaps as much as $5.2 billion total.