HispanicBusiness

WASHINGTON - Spanish-language campaign broadcast television advertising continues to break records in 2002. More than $9 million has been spent by gubernatorial, Senate, and House candidates on nearly 14,000 Spanish-language television spots, setting a nationwide record for non-presidential election years and numerous statewide records, according to a report released today. An additional $2 million has been spent on advertising in down-ballot races and ballot initiatives.

"Efforts to reach Hispanic American voters through Spanish-language campaign broadcast television advertising have broken numerous statewide and national records in competitive races in six states this year," said Adam Segal, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC and editor of the Johns Hopkins Journal of American Politics who authored the report. "Candidates nationwide are promising accelerated spending on Spanish-language television and radio ads in the final days of the campaign."

Segal's report was developed through interviews and data obtained in conjunction with the Wisconsin Advertising Project, a project funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG).

CMAG monitors all political and issue advertising in the nation's top 100 media markets, including Spanish-language stations - covering 85 percent of the country's population - and providing cost estimates and information on the content, volume and targeting of media buys. CMAG does not monitor most advertising placed on local cable systems or local broadcast stations outside of the nation's 100 largest media markets. Spanish-language ads aired on these stations and local cable systems may not be included in this data. The latest data runs through October 24.

NEW YORK - PAYCHECKS IN SPANISH?
New York Independent gubernatorial candidate and Paychex founder Tom Golisano has spent more than $1.6 million on two Spanish-language television advertisements in the last three weeks. This quickly surpassed spending by Democratic State Comptroller Carl McCall ($88,000 in the last three weeks, $1 million ytd) and Republican Governor George Pataki ($72,000 in the last three weeks, $720,000 ytd).

"In just three weeks Tom Golisano outspent both of his opponents in Spanish-language television advertising in the New York Governor's race," said Segal. "This rapid spending even outpaces the level of Spanish-language commercials aired by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to win his race in 2001. Meanwhile, spending by the two leading candidates in the race continues to grow. The $3.5 million mark surpassed by all three candidates on Spanish-language television stations sets a new record for political spending on New York City Hispanic television."

"Spanish-language political television advertising has become a permanent and effective part of New York campaign strategies," said Segal. "As the state's Hispanic community continues to rise at a rapid pace we can expect that resources devoted to communications efforts aimed at Hispanic voters will continue to multiply."

FLORIDA - GOVERNOR CONTINUES BARRAGE
Florida Governor Jeb Bush and the state Republican Party continue to spend more than $150,000 per week on Spanish-language television advertisements. Spending has been steady during the past month. His Democratic opponent, lawyer and political novice Bill McBride has begun airing Spanish-language television ads as a part of his strategy to pull off a last-minute upset. Bush and his Party have now spent more than $1.4 million this year ($530,000 in the last three weeks) on hundreds of Spanish-language television ads in central and south Florida.