SuperPACs Spend $6.5 Million In Colorado TV Ads So Far This Month

By Aaron Gardner | 3:00 PM on October 25, 2012

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SuperPACs spent over $6.5 million in television advertising in the Denver market between October 1 and October 24th, a Media Trackers analysis reveals. TV station records showed Republican SuperPACs with an edge in both money spent and the number of ads on the air.

In the last weeks leading up to election day, liberal and conservative SuperPACs have flooded Colorado’s airwaves with ads meant to convince the dwindling number of undecided voter to pick a candidate, preferably the one the SuperPAC is supporting.

Most of the spending from conservative groups came from American Crossroads and Restore Our Future. Priorities USA, Planned Parenthood and the DCCC have been the largest influence on the liberal side. American Crossroad spent a total of $2,399,781.25 across the four networks and is running 1858 ads. American Crossroads outspent Priorities USA, Planned Parenthood, and the DCCC combined.

Priorities USA spent just over $1 million on ad placements in Colorado so far this month, making it the largest spender of the liberal SuperPACs. Planned Parenthood and the DCCC spent $579,555 and $644,061 respectively. The efforts of the three top liberal SuperPACs resulted in 2,082 ads secured to run in Colorado, just over 200 more ads than American Crossroads secured on its own.

Conservative-leaning SuperPACs have spent $3.8 Million since October began, while liberal SuperPACs have spent $2.75 Million. Liberal SuperPACs secured 57 contracts running 2416 ads. Conservative SuperPACs secured just 38 contracts, but with more ads, a total of 2809. The result of that million dollar disparity is about 400 more conservative TV spots hitting the airwaves.

A look at where and how these SuperPACs spend money provides surprising insight. The liberal SuperPACs outspent the conservative SuperPACs by a slim $25,000 margin on ABC, resulting in 41 more ad placements. On every other station, however, liberal groups were outspent by their conservative counterparts.

Conservative SuperPACs nearly doubled the spending of liberal SuperPACs on CBS, spending $1.35 million to secure 11 contracts with a total of 641 ads. Liberal SuperPACs spent over $762,000 and again outpaced conservatives in contracts, but at 556 total ads will run nearly 100 fewer spots than conservative SuperPACs.

The money spent by liberal and conservative SuperPACs at NBC tells a similar story. While the liberal groups secured 11 NBC contracts and 423 ads at a cost of over $687,000, conservative groups paid $1,151,963 for 7 contracts and 708 ads.

Out of all of the major networks in the Denver market, FOX saw the least amount of attention from both the liberal and conservative SuperPACs. Conservatives spent a mere $341,782.50 for 9 contracts and 602 ads on FOX. Liberal groups again spent less for fewer ads, for a total of $283,517.50 for 538 ads under 14 contracts.

While Planned Parenthood, Priorities USA, and American Crossroads have ad placements on all of the major networks, the DCCC focused primarily on ABC with 505 ad placements.

This post was originally featured at Media Trackers Colorado.