Politics: Who cares?

Or, rather--who's watching? This is what political advertisers should be wondering. A few notes from a recent report on political advertising trends: - TiVo / DVR penetration rates among voters tend to be substantially higher than among non-voters, and can represent a substantial portion of the electorate. - Daily newspapers' overall circulation declined by more than a million between 1999 and 2003 alone. The only growth in the newspaper industry is among the weekly papers, which have increased their circulation by 600,000 over the same period. - Internet radio advertising provides strong cross-over benefits for progressive organizations, allowing you to take immediate action while at the computer. - The first two return recommendations on Google are worth as much as the top paid search ad and is free. "This transition will also require a much greater degree of message sophistication. Understanding how an issue plays out across segments requires a much greater commitment to understanding the policy or issue itself." Imagine that.