From Deseret News archives:

Campaign hits Utah, finally

Published: Monday, Feb. 4, 2008 12:05 a.m. MST
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According to public reports on file at KUTV, the Clinton campaign has written checks to the station for $58,499 for spots to run through Tuesday, and Obama has spent $57,174. According to an ad-buy document from the Obama campaign, he spent $109,526 on his Utah TV broadcast ads from Tuesday through today, and divided it this way: 38 percent to KUTV, 24 percent to KSL-TV, 19 to KTVX, 19 to Fox 13.

On cable, Obama and Clinton "have both spent significant sums of money" on Comcast's 39 networks shown locally, said public relations director Ray Child of Comcast in Utah.

Even before dropping out of the race, the Edwards campaign had bought no ad time in Utah (although 11 percent of Democratic Utah voters polled said they saw one of his ads last week. No Republican candidates have bought any time either. Apparently Romney feels confident, and McCain figures "why bother?"

In Arizona it's apparently the same story, only reversed. Neither candidate has bought time at Phoenix's ABC affiliate, KNXV, according to national sales manager Mat Thornton.

Although Utah hasn't received a lot of money or attention from any of the candidates, it's still faring better than Idaho, which holds a Democratic caucus on Super Tuesday. The ABC affiliate in Boise, KIVI, has had no ad buys from either Obama or Clinton. But it did get a few inquiries about ad rates.

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"I've been doing this 30-plus years and never ever had an inquiry, so that was unique," said KIVI general sales manager Ken Ritchie. "Like Utah, we've always been completely ignored by presidential candidates."

And when Super Tuesday turns into just a regular old Wednesday? KSL-TV's Wiest isn't very hopeful: "I don't think we'll see a dime after this."


E-mail: jarvik@desnews.com

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