The Virginia Ad Campaign

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION feature made possible thanks to video assistance from the Center for Media and Public Affairs.  Compare: Colorado.

Sample Summary Week of October 8
Totals for the Sample: Oct. 8-12
approx. 9 hours 40 minutes of local news
59 ad breaks
295 ads totaling 138.18 min.
187 political ads (63.3%) totaling 94.5 min. (68.4%)
75 presidential ads (25.4%) totaling 37.5 min. (26.8%)
{Obama 28 (14.0 min.), Romney and Romney/RNC 25 (12.5 min.), American Crossroads 2 (1.0 min.), Restore Our Future 15 (7.5 min.), Priorities USA Action 4 (2.0 min.), Planned Parenthood Votes 1 (0.5 min.)}
60 VA Senate ads (20.3%) totaling 31.0 min. (22.4%)
41 Question 7 ads (13.9%) totaling 20.5 min. (14.8%)
5 Question 6 ads (1.7%) totaling 2.5 min (1.8%)
6 Sobhani for Senate ads (2.0%) totaling 3.0 min. (2.2%)


Details
Monday, October 8
starting at 5 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: Kaine, Yes on 7, GW Hospital, Progresso, Romney.
Ad Break #2: Offenbacher's (:15), WASH-FM (:15), Obama, Pepco (:15), Navy Federal Credit Union, No on 7, Offenbacher's (:15).
Ad Break #3: Jewelry Exchange (:15), PNC Bank, Kaine, Cheerios, Romney/RNC, RoomStore.
Ad Break #4: Crossroads GPS (Sen.), MinuteClinic, No on 6, Majority PAC (Sen.), Bob's Discount Furniture.
Ad Break #5: Yes on 7, Navy Federal Credit Union, Ad Council/StoptheTextsStoptheWrecks (:10), INOVA, American Crossroads, Obama.
Ad Break #6: No on 7, Priorities USA Action, H.H. Gregg's, Romney/RNC.
Totals:
33 ads totaling 14.92 min.
16 political ads (48.5%) totaling 8.0 min. (53.6%).
7 presidential ads (21.2%) totaling 3.5 min. (23.5%)

6 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: Chevy, Majority PAC (Sen.), Obama, No on 7.
Ad Break #2: PNC Bank, Yes on 7, No on 6, American Crossroads, H.H. Greggs, Romney/RNC.
Ad Break #3: Romney, Kaiser Permanent, Kaine, Pepco (:15).
Ad Break #4: No on 7, Ford, Crossroads GPS (Sen.) Honda.
Ad Break #5: Romney/RNC, Kaine, Yes on 7, Honda, The Cochran Firm (:10).
Ad Break #6: NRSC/Allen (1min.), SunTrust, Romney.
Totals:
26 ads totaling 12.92 min.
16 political ads (61.5%) totaling 8.5 min. (65.8%).
6 presidential ads (23.1%) totaling 3.0 min. (23.2%).

Grand Total for Oct. 8:
59 ads totaling 27.84 min.
32 political ads (54.2%) totaling 16.5 min. (59.3%)
13 presidential ads (22.0%) totaling 6.5 min. (23.3%)


Tuesday, October 9
starting at 5 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: Kaine, Restore Our Future, DSCC, Yes on 7, Obama.
Ad Break #2: Romney, No on 7, MinuteClinic, Romney/RNC.
Ad Break #3: H.H. Gregg's, Obama, PNC Bank, Kaiser Permanente, GW Hospital, WASH-FM (:15).
Ad Break #4: My Plumber (:15), PNC Bank, Pepco (:15), Bob's Discount Furniture, Room Store, The Jewelry Exchange (:15), UMUC, My Plumber (:15).
Ad Break #5: Navy Federal Credit Union, Romney/RNC, Kaine, Yes on 7, Restore Our Future.
Ad Break #6: Hour Eyes (:15), Obama, No on 7, DSCC, Hour Eyes (:15).
Totals:
33 ads totaling 14.75 min.
16 political ads (48.5%) totaling 8.0 min. (54.2%).
8 presidential ads (24.2%) totaling 4.0 min. (27.2%)

6 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: Kaine, DSCC, Yes on 7, H.H. Gregg's, Obama.
Ad Break #2: Restore Our Future, No on 7, Romney/RNC, Romney, Pepco (:15), The Cochran Firm (:10).
Ad Break #3: Obama, Aetna (1min.), Jiffy Lube.
Ad Break #4: Honda, Kaine, INOVA, No on 7, AFSCME People (Sen.).
Ad Break #5: Yes on 7, Restore Our Future, Obama, WASH-FM (:15), Romney/RNC.
Ad Break #6: PNC Bank, Honda, Pepco (:15), Obama.
Totals:
28 ads totaling 13.42 min.
17 political ads (60.7%) totaling 8.5 min. (63.3%).
9 presidential ads (32.1%) totaling 4.5 min. (33.5%).

Grand Total for Oct. 9:
61 ads totaling 28.17 min.
33 political ads (54.1%) totaling 16.5 min. (58.6%)
17 presidential ads (27.9%) totaling 8.5 min. (30.2%)


Wednesday, October 10
starting about 5:20 p.m.: partial
Ad Break #1: Hour Eyes (:15), NRSC, Romney, Yes on 7, Hour Eyes (:15).
Ad Break #2: No on 6, Obama, Aetna (1min.), Sobhani, Pepco (:15).
Ad Break #3: Romney, Kaine, PNC Bank, Room Store, Chevy, WASH-FM (:15)
Ad Break #4: DSCC, Obama, Yes on 7, Restore Our Future.
Ad Break #5: No on 7, NRSC, Kaine.
Totals:
23 ads totaling 11.0 min.
15 political ads (65.2%) totaling 7.5 min. (68.2%).
5 presidential ads (21.7%) totaling 2.5 min. (22.7%)

6 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: Restore Our Future, Sobhani, DSCC, Yes on 7, NRSC.
Ad Break #2: No on 7, Romney, PNC Bank, Kaine, Medifast Weight Control (:15), WASH-FM (:15), Chevy.
Ad Break #3: NRSC, Pepco (:15), NRSC/Allen, Obama, Priorities USA Action.
Ad Break #4: Yes on 7, NRSC, Honda, Obama.
Ad Break #5: Romney, Honda, No on 7, Restore Our Future, Kaine.
Ad Break #6: NEA Fund for...(Sen.), Jiffy Lube, Pepco (:15), Obama.
Totals:
30 ads totaling 14.0 min.
21 political ads (70.0%) totaling 10.5 min. (75.0%).
8 presidential ads (26.7%) totaling 4.0 min. (28.6%).

Grand Total for Oct. 10:
53 ads totaling 25.0 min.
36 political ads (67.9%) totaling 18.0 min. (72.0%)
13 presidential ads (24.5%) totaling 6.5 min. (26.0%)


Thursday, October 11
starting at 5 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: NRSC, No on 7, Obama, AFSCME PEOPLE (Sen.), GW Hospital. 
Ad Break #2: DSCC, Restore Our Future, Yes on 7, Kaine, Romney.
Ad Break #3: Chevy, Kaine, Obama, Pepco (:15), Sobhani.
Ad Break #4: PNC Bank, Priorities USA Action, INOVA, No on 6, Hyundai, Deep Creek Lake Railey Mountain (:15), The Jewelry Exchange (:15).
Ad Break #5: Navy Federal Credit Union, No on 7, SEIU COPE (Sen.), Romney, NRSC.
Ad Break #6: Restore Our Future, Obama, Yes on 7.
Totals:
30 ads totaling 14.25 min.
21 political ads (70.0%) totaling 10.5 min. (73.7%).
8 presidential ads (26.7%) totaling 4.0 min. (28.1%)

6 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: NRSC, PNC Bank, Kaine, No on 7, Romney.
Ad Break #2: Yes on 7, DSCC, Restore Our Future, Obama, Sobhani, Sun Trust.
Ad Break #3: NRSC, No on 6, Obama, Next Day Blinds (:15), NRSC/Allen.
Ad Break #4: Kaine, Honda, No on 7, Romney.
Ad Break #5: NEA Fund for...(Sen.), Yes on 7, NRSC, WASH-FM (:15), Obama, Pepco (:15), Medifast Weight Control Centers (:15)
Ad Break #6: Honda, Restore Our Future, Obama.
Totals:
30 ads totaling 14.0 min.
22 political ads (73.3%) totaling 11.0 min. (78.6%).
8 presidential ads (26.7%) totaling 4.0 min. (28.6%).

Grand Total for Oct. 11:
60 ads totaling 28.25 min.
43 political ads (71.7%) totaling 21.5 min. (76.1%)
16 presidential ads (26.7%) totaling 8.0 min. (28.3%)


Friday, October 12
starting at 5 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: No on 7, Obama, Pepco (:15), DSCC, Kaine, The Jewelry Exchange (:15).
Ad Break #2: Yes on 7, Restore Our Future, NRSC, Romney.
Ad Break #3: My Plumber (:15), Kaine, No on 7, PNC Bank, BB&T, My Plumber (:15).
Ad Break #4: Hour Eyes (:15), Ourisman Chantilly Toyota, AFSCME PEOPLE (Sen.), Toyota, INOVA, DSCC, Hour Eyes (:15).
Ad Break #5: Sobhani, Obama, Yes on 7, USO (:10), NRSC, Restore Our Future.
Ad Break #6: Bob's Discount Furniture, No on 7, Romney.
Totals:
32 ads totaling 14.17 min.
19 political ads (59.4%) totaling 9.5 min. (67.0%).
6 presidential ads (18.8%) totaling 3.0 min. (21.2%)

6 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: SEIU COPE (Sen.), Priorities USA Action, No on 7, NRSC, Obama.
Ad Break #2: Restore Our Future, PNC Bank, Romney, Ourisman Fairfax Toyota, Yes on 7.
Ad Break #3: Sobhani, NRSC, Kaine, No on 7, Obama.
Ad Break #4: Obama, Honda, DSCC, No on 7, Planned Parenthood Votes.
Ad Break #5: NRSC, NRSC/Allen, No on 7, Kaine, Romney, Restore Our Future.
Ad Break #6: Honda, Pepco (:15), Obama, Kaine.
Totals:
30 ads totaling 14.75 min.
25 political ads (83.3%) totaling 12.5 min. (84.7%).
10 presidential ads (33.3%) totaling 5.0 min. (33.9%).

Grand Total for Oct. 12:
62 ads totaling 28.92 min.
44 political ads (71.0%) totaling 22.0 min. (76.1%)
16 presidential ads (25.8%) totaling 8.0 min. (27.7%)


Saturday, October 13
football


Sunday, October 14
starting at 6 p.m.:
Ad Break #1: DSCC, Allstate, Sobhani, Restore Our Future, NRSC.
Ad Break #2: NRSC, Maryland Lottery, Kaine, DSCC, Yes on 7, Dr. Scholl's (:15).
Ad Break #3: No on 7, DSCC, Poligrip, No on 6, Restore Our Future, Allen.
Ad Break #4: Merck, Yes on 7, NRSC, No on 7.