Tampa Ads

Tampa
Blizzard

Presidential ads on WTSP Channel 10 (CBS) Tampa-St. Petersburg
By the closing week of the campaign, Tampa-St. Petersburg was one of the most hotly contested media markets in the country, a veritable ground zero. Airing on the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts on the CBS affiliate, WTSP-Channel 10, were ads from three presidential candidates (Bush, Gore and Buchanan)¹, interest groups (anti-Gore: Americans for Job Security and "American Seniors, Inc."; anti-Bush: AFL-CIO),the Nelson-McCollum U.S. Senate race, and other statewide and local races.² Indeed, on several nights every single ad on these broadcasts, other than station promos, was a political ad.

< Oct. 28 - Nov. 1

Nov. 2 Thursday "News at 5"--30 political ads 10 presidential (4 Gore/Dem., 3 Bush/Rep., 2 Am.JobSec., 1 American Seniors); 8 U.S. Senate; 12 from 7 other campaigns. "News at 6"--17 political ads 5 presidential (2 Gore/Dem., 1 Bush/Rep., 1 Buchanan, 1 American Seniors); 3 U.S. Senate; and 9 from 8 other campaigns.	Nov. 3 Friday "News at 5"--32 political ads 12 presidential (5 Gore/Dem., 2 Bush/Rep., 3 Am.JobSec., 2 American Seniors); 6 U.S. Senate; and 14 from 9 other campaigns. "News at 6"--17 political ads 6 presidential (2 Gore/Dem., 1 Bush/Rep., 1 Buchanan, 1 AFL-CIO, 1 American Seniors); 2 U.S. Senate; and 9 from 7 other campaigns.	Nov. 4 Saturday Ads from football game "News at 6" "News at 11"	Nov. 5 Sunday [atypical programming on Sundays--ads not reviewed] x	Nov. 6 Monday "News at 5"--34 political ads 13 presidential (4 Bush/Rep., 2 Gore/Dem., 4 Am.JobSec., 2 American Seniors, 1 AFL-CIO), 8 U.S. Senate; and 13 from 9 other campaigns. "News at 6"--17 political ads 7 presidential (2 Bush/Rep., 1 Gore/Dem., 1 Buchanan, 2 Am.JobSec., 1 American Seniors); 4 U.S. Senate; and 6 from 6 other campaigns.
BUSH/REPUBLICAN PARTY	.	.	.	.
			x
			x
			x


GORE/DEMOCRATIC PARTY	.	.	.	.
			x
			x
			x


BUCHANAN/FOSTER	.	.	.	.
			x


OTHERS	.	.	.	.
			x
			x
			x
			x

Notes.
1. Bush and Gore ads include those ads paid for by the campaigns or by the campaigns and the party national committees as well as the issue ads paid for by the Republican Party of Florida and Florida Democratic Party.

2. Ads from other races: Insurance Commissioner (Gallagher-Cosgrove), Education Commissioner (Crist-Sheldon), Amendment 1 (For), U.S. Congress (Putnam-Stedem), State Rep. (mostly Crist-Castor, also Waters, Farkas, Henriquez dist. 58), Chillura for Hillsborough County Commissioner.