Pols' South Carolina Spending Blowing Away Expectations

Ron Paul and Romney's PAC spend huge, while Colbert makes a more subtle buy

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/18/2012 2:42:51 PM

South Carolina is cementing its position as a vital stepping stone to a presidential nomination, with the GOP hopefuls -- and the Super PACS supporting their efforts -- pouring buckets of money into the state's TV stations for air time. As was the case in Iowa earlier this month, the money is coming in fast, furious -- and late.

An estimated $11 million will be spent in political advertising on television in the state-not far off the $13.5 million spent in 2008, when both parties had nominations up for grabs. "Two weeks ago, it was probably a million. There's been a lot of activity the last two weeks," says Bob Romine, president and GM of WSPA Greenville-Spartanburg. "We anticipated $4 million, $5 million, maybe $6 million, and it's almost double that."

General Managers in the state said Rick Perry, determined to inject vitality into his candidacy after poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire, spent big on television in December. Everyone else got on board around New Year's. Local TV execs in the state say Mitt Romney's Super PAC may have a slim lead over Ron Paul's camp in terms of spending. 

Stations are enjoying the largess. "The truth is, it's exceeded everyone's expectations," says Donita Todd, VP and GM at WIS Columbia. "We got a tiny bit in December, but the last three weeks have just been insane.  We went from 0 to 60 in the last three weeks."

As many as five candidates and seven Super PACS are on television in South Carolina, in advance of the Jan. 21 primary. Stations in Columbia, the capital, look to get around $1.7 million. Local TV execs there say Romney and Perry are on Fox News Channel statewide as well.

Charleston has gotten a healthy taste too, and from at least one unlikely source. Leader WCSC had banked around $625,000 in political this month through Jan. 17, with a fraction of that coming from locally reared funnyman Stephen Colbert's "The Definitely Not Coordinated With Stephen Colbert Super PAC."

Rita Littles Scott, WCSC VP and GM, says the series of spots, poking fun at Romney (that ad is called "Attack in B Minor For Strings") and even Herman Cain, run through Jan. 19. She says the buy was for less than $10,000.

Littles Scott suspects the CBS affiliate's place in the DMA No. 98 pecking order was a factor in being singled out by the Colbert Report host. "We are the No. 1 station in the market," she says. "I'm glad he chose this station."

(A press release from Colbert's camp quipped that the "major ad buy will blanket South Carolina from Charleston all the way to North Charleston.")

The ads were uncharacteristically negative in Iowa, and the messaging is even nastier in South Carolina. Kantar Media says the past week's political ads in South Carolina were 54% positive and 46% negative, but those in the state suggest their own viewing experience tells a different, and darker, story.

"I haven't seen a positive one," says Romine. "Seriously, I haven't."

Todd agrees that it's been "all negative" in Columbia.

The Republican playing field will be a whole lot clearer after the South Carolina votes are tallied Jan. 21. While the Palmetto State has long been a pivotal primary market, the political spending this time around shows just how significant the state has become.

"No GOP candidate has survived without winning South Carolina," says Todd. "It's critical, so everyone's spending a lot."