Promoting Spot Cable

Is local/spot cable pricing itself out of the presidential campaigns? Despite red-hot spending by John Kerry and George Bush in swing states, spot cable is available everywhere. "We're having no problem placing cable spot," says Richard Cotter, senior partner and USA director of local broadcast at Mindshare. "I don't think the candidates are even buying any time. They're [buying] network cable, but they're not buying local cable."

One reason? High rates. According to Pat McNew, executive vice president and local media director at PHD, "Local broadcast CPMs are just cheaper then cable, even with lower unit rates."

McNew does see tightness in New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Chicago.

Key rep firm, National Cable Communications, is responding with full-page ads in Roll Call, The Hill and Campaign & Elections magazines through early September (as well as convention dailies).

"With these ads, we hope to demonstrate that the undecided voter watches more cable than broadcast," says Chuck Cowdrey, vice president of politics at NCC. "And no medium can target undecideds better than spot cable." The ads bear the tagline: "Put your money where your market is. Spot cable."

Noting cable network upfront buys are up 17%, Cabletelevision Ad Bureau President and CEO Sean Cunningham says, "Agency planners and buyers are using cable first as both short-term and long-term reach generators for targets across the board."

Indeed, new hit shows on FX (Rescue Me), Discovery (American Chopper) and USA (The 4400) are generating ad interest. FX reports 50 different advertisers for Rescue Me and is 70% sold out for the fourth quarter.

Discovery notes Chopper has "opened us up to a younger, male advertiser." Cotter says, "advertiser-friendly 4400has increased activity from soft-drinks and fast-food, while the movie categories are just hunting this show down."