Log In   |  Register Free Newsletter Subscription
Skip navigation
Zibb
Subscribe to Multichannel News
Talkback

Obama Ad Seen By 33.5 Million Viewers

Nearly 10 Million Watch Infomercial On NBC; 4.5 Million Combined On Cable

By Larry Barrett -- Multichannel News, October 30, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama’s unprecedented 30-minute advertising buy on seven broadcast and cable networks attracted more than 33.5 million viewers Wednesday night, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The infomercial, which aired on CBS, Fox, NBC, Univision, BET, MSNBC and TV One, garnered a combined household rating of 20.6 and found its way into more than 23.7 million households less than one week away from Election Day.

Among the cable networks, the ad drew its largest audience on MSNBC (2.1 rating, 3.54 viewers). 

While the Obama campaign has not confirmed exactly how much the advertising spree cost, the Campaign Media Analysis Group pegged the multi-network buy at between $4 million and $6 million.

Shortly after the ad aired, Sen. John McCain’s staff put out a statement saying: “As anyone who has bought anything from an infomercial knows, the sales job is always better than the product. Buyer beware.”

More people, some 9.78 million, watched the Democratic presidential nominee’s infomercial on NBC. CBS was second with 8.6 million watchers, ahead of 7.14 million for Fox. MSNBC was next with 3.54 million, compared with 3.47 million for Univision, whose total included 3.1 million Hispanics.

BET and TV One counted 714,000 and 307,000 total viewers, respectively. African Americans accounted for 398,000 and 160,000 of the watchers on the ethnic-targeted services.

A comparison of sorts shows that Independent party candidate Ross Perot attracted 22.7 million viewers for an infomercial that ran on Nov. 4, 1996. That paid programming aired only on ABC, CBS and NBC and was of different durations and staggered start times within the 8 p.m. hour that night, according to Nielsen.

The measurement company said that Perot aired 15 infomercials during his 1996 White House run.

Post a comment      Return to article      View other article discussions

Submitted by: Purl Gurl
2008-30-10 23:31:00
Location:
Occupation:

I view Obama's advertisement as political propaganda, of the worst sort. All politicians, Democrat, Republican, Independent, all politicians pander to the public. We all know all politicians lie. Obama is a liar. McCain is a liar. Ralph Nader is a stringless yo-yo too stupid to lie. Readers are to accept this premise, all politicians are liars. What this leaves us with is odds of a politician effecting stated policies. We know Democrats are tax and spend just as we know Republicans are cut taxes and spend less. Those are the true issues upon which we are voting. All else, all the words and promises, are simply lies which are designed to "sell" us on a specific politician. Obama is selling himself to America. Obama is buying the presidency rather than earning the presidency. This is well evidenced by Obama spending almost a billion dollars selling himself. My vote cannot be bought, no way, no how. My vote has no price tag. During my college career, during my earning a Ph.D. in English, specifically creative writing, I attended classes in "film literature". This is a study of film being used to "write" literature. Two of my classes presented political propaganda films related to Germany circa 1930-1940. No, I am not suggesting Obama is new age Nazi thing. Obama's advertisement employed almost all of the historical methods of political propaganda. This is the use of symbolism, sound and situation to convey a "feeling" rather than a message. A waving field of growing grain -- American heartland. Lots of background American flags -- symbols of patriotism. Disadvantaged families -- emotional compassionate appeal. Elderly having problems -- appeal to responsibility for elderly care. Children having to do without -- appeal to maternal instinct. Music, all of the music is aimed at setting a mood of great sadness, compassion, tragedy and shocking, guilt, lots of guilt music. What is truly shocking and what truly angers me to no end, some of the scenes were quick flashes of Obama with a "halo" around his head. Easy to miss with our eyes, nonetheless this subtle technique is burned into our subconscious minds through our mind's eyes. Obama presented himself as a messiah, as the Son of God. More simply, a person's mind connects Obama to Jesus Christ through subtle imagery. This is subliminal suggestion which is unlawful to use in commercial advertisements. No, I am not writing Obama violated the law but I am writing our Federal Communications Commission has banned subliminal usage for advertisement being such a powerful and suggestive tool. How many viewers of the Obama advertisement now unconsciously associate Obama with Jesus Christ? I suspect, millions. This notion is well evidence by Obama being labeled the "Black Messiah" very early in our election process. Further evidence is Obama campaign posters depicting Obama with a halo around his head. This is easy to see being a static view, and this also causes viewers to associate Obama with Jesus Christ. This both scares me and angers me. Obama is not the Son of God nor is Obama a messiah. Obama is simply another lying politician. There is a cultural aspect to this, as well. My words are not to be construed to be racist. Black America, about 95% of blacks are voting for Obama. Many are fearful to discuss this. Whispered reason for this is blacks are voting skin color. This is a truth most will not speak. There is something else. Black America is typically very religious, fervently religious. Like many minority groups, and I am a member of the smallest minority group, there is always a search for a messiah to "save the people," to deliver the people to freedom and justice. This is the Moses Complex. What effect does depicting Obama with a halo around his head have upon Black America? I watched this advertisement twice and penciled notes while I watched. I also paused this video, rewound this video, watched some scenes multiple times to be sure I am seeing correctly. Obama's advertisement is political propaganda of the worst type. Obama is working at brainwashing America just like the Germans were brainwashed so long ago. No, again I am not writing Obama is another Hitler. No, Obama is a decent man but he is buying the presidency, not earning the presidency. Some of his methods are highly objectionable, specifically his propaganda techniques used in his advertisement. Personally, I would vote for Lucifer before I would vote for Obama. Lucifer can be trusted to do wrong, to lie, to trick. We know about Lucifer. We know almost nothing about Obama the man other than he is working at brainwashing America through political propaganda. I cannot and will not vote for Obama; I fear him but I do not fear the Devil. Okpulot Taha Choctaw Nation



Post a comment      Return to article      View other article discussions

Advertisement
mm160-osms
Advertisement
Multichannel Subscription
About Us   |   Advertising Info   |   Site Map   |   Contact Us   |   Subscription   |   Affiliate Links   |   RSS
© 2009 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of this Web site is subject to its Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Please visit these other Reed Business sites