Economic crunch crimps political ads
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BOISE -- Political advertising is one casualty of the current economic crisis.
Candidates have less cash to get out their message as election days approaches.
At Advanced Sign and Design in Boise, requests from local candidates for the printing of yard signs or bumpers stickers have dried up.
"We're definitely seeing a decrease in political signs," said sales manager Judy Fisher. "Usually by October, this close to an election, we'll get a lot of calls. We're not even getting any calls for political signs right now."
Fisher says in the past the company could count on business from seven or eight candidates.
At Channel 2, we're also seeing the impact as revenue coming in from the sales of political ads is significantly off what KBCI projected.
Still, candidates are running ads. Democrat Walt Minnick has a new TV spot out this week, but a campaign spokesman says donors are clearly keeping a closer watch on their checkbooks.
And Congressman Bill Sali, Minnick's Republican opponent, is also using TV, but his campaign reports a significant uptick in the number of volunteers now donating time and energy instead of money.
State Rep. Nicole LeFavour, now running for the Idaho Senate, says donations are definitely down due to hard times.
"People are giving a little bit less," said the Boise Democrat. "Somebody I might have gotten in the past $40 dollars from, now I'll get $20. It's about half. A lot of other candidates have said the same."
LeFavour's Republican opponent Chuck Meissner could not be reached for comment.
This election, candidates face the same challenge as voters -- making do with less.
Candidates have less cash to get out their message as election days approaches.
At Advanced Sign and Design in Boise, requests from local candidates for the printing of yard signs or bumpers stickers have dried up.
"We're definitely seeing a decrease in political signs," said sales manager Judy Fisher. "Usually by October, this close to an election, we'll get a lot of calls. We're not even getting any calls for political signs right now."
Fisher says in the past the company could count on business from seven or eight candidates.
At Channel 2, we're also seeing the impact as revenue coming in from the sales of political ads is significantly off what KBCI projected.
Still, candidates are running ads. Democrat Walt Minnick has a new TV spot out this week, but a campaign spokesman says donors are clearly keeping a closer watch on their checkbooks.
And Congressman Bill Sali, Minnick's Republican opponent, is also using TV, but his campaign reports a significant uptick in the number of volunteers now donating time and energy instead of money.
State Rep. Nicole LeFavour, now running for the Idaho Senate, says donations are definitely down due to hard times.
"People are giving a little bit less," said the Boise Democrat. "Somebody I might have gotten in the past $40 dollars from, now I'll get $20. It's about half. A lot of other candidates have said the same."
LeFavour's Republican opponent Chuck Meissner could not be reached for comment.
This election, candidates face the same challenge as voters -- making do with less.
