Public File: Schatz and Tsutsui Buy Ads Through August
As the Aug. 9 primary draws near, the senator and the lieutenant governor are making sure they’ll have choice spots.
Editor’s Note:ÌýCivil BeatÌýis visiting local TV stations again this campaign season to track how much money is being spent on political candidates and issues.ÌýThe Public Fileis a regular series that compiles records kept by network and cable stations in Honolulu showing ad buys made by campaigns and political committees. The records, which are required to be made publicÌý, are expected to be posted publicly on the stations’ websites beginning in July. But for now we’re still picking up paper copies, scanning them into our system and posting them online. Check out ourÌýAd WatchÌýseries, too, in which Civil Beat political writers review the latest political spots airing on TV and the Internet.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz outspent other Hawaii political candidates for a second week in a row, buying 1,088 spots that began June 2 and will run until the Aug. 9 primary at a total cost of $321,370.
Schatz is the only candidate besides Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui to have already bought ad spaceÌýinto July and ÌýAugust.
Looking ahead to the week of July 28 to Aug. 3, Schatz spent $2,000 apiece for spots on KHON’s 6Ìýand 10Ìýp.m. news shows. ÌýPrices are going up, by the way. The last week before the primary, the cost for the same spots jumped to $3,000.
U.S. Sen Brian Schatz continues to be the biggest spender of Hawaii’s election season.
flickr:401(K) 2012
Schatz’s more pricey spots cost $1,500 apiece and will be peppered in with popular prime time programming, including “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Bones,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “The New Girl” on KHON,ÌýandÌý“Modern Family,” “The Goldbergs” and “Rookie Blue” on KITV.
U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who is running against Schatz for the Senate seat in the Democratic primary, spent much less.ÌýWhile Schatz spent $37,785 for 148 spots from June 9 to 15, Hanabusa spent $23,525Ìýfor 37 spots for the same week. The highest-priced spots for each cost $1,500 for KHON’s 6 p.m. evening news.
Hanabusa’s next-priciest buy was $1,120 for a spot during “Hawaii Five-O” on KGMB. Schatz’s next priciest buy was $1,200 for “Surviving the Storm” on KHON.
In the race for lieutenant governor, Shan Tsutsui has spent $99,625 on 277 spots that began May 27 and are scheduled to Aug. 3. Nearly $38,000 of that went to KHON forÌýspots coming up from July 28 to Aug. 8, with the most expensive, $2,000 apiece, airing duringÌý6 and 10 p.m. news shows.
As for the governor’s race, Gov. Neil Abercrombie canceled contracts with KGMB and KHNL for spots that would have aired next week.Ìý TheÌý15 spots and would have cost $1780. ÌýStill, he has 81 spots that began June 9 and will run through June 29, costing $32,685.
Honolulu City Councilman Stanley Chang, who is running for the Congressional District 1 seat, spent $38,650 on 85 spots running that began June 9 and continue to June 22.
