Obamacast

The Obama campaign is set to broadcast a half-hour commercial across three major US networks on Wednesday.

The ad, which will air on CBS, NBC and Fox at 2000 (midnight GMT) on the East Coast, could cost up to $6m, it's been reported, which would make it the most costly single piece of political advertising in US history.

It is the first time since 1992 - when independent Ross Perot bought a series of 30-minute slots - that a candidate has chosen to use this format.
It has not been in common use for decades, because of the immense cost involved, and from 1992 until now no contender for the White House has been able to match Perot's extravagance.

The infomercial simply underlines Mr Obama's dominance of the airwaves. Even before this he had been outspending Senator McCain by three-to-one in the final weeks of the campaign.

"This is more than message imbalance," said Evan Tracey of the Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks political advertising
"This is, in media terms, a rout. John McCain is in a shouting match against a guy with a megaphone."

Continue reading the BBC article "Obama rules the TV ad airwaves" here.