Colorado TV Colorado viewers a key target for political ads this elect

The pummeling of Colorado TV viewers by political ads will continue for another two and a half weeks. Colorado is on the national radar as a battleground state for key congressional and gubernatorial races — some of the closest in the country. And things have gotten nasty. The incessant political ads that used to assault us beginning after Labor Day this year started in July. Seven-figure ad buys for individual candidates are not uncommon. Denver is among the top media markets by ad volume across all races, according to Kantar Media/CMAG. The market forecast for political TV advertising revenue is $50 million, says a Denver station manager who requests anonymity. That's bigger than a presidential election year, underscoring Colorado's importance in these midterm elections. The trend in local political coverage is clear: Mobile devices are no longer afterthoughts. Multitasking is the norm. Viewers often treat TV as the second screen, using a smartphone at the same time. The stations are using digital platforms in a bigger way to help voters navigate the ballot issues and track where money is being spent.