Health-Care Debate Is Tonic for Local TV

Local television stations, suffering from steep declines in ad spending, are getting a much-needed shot in the arm from lobbying groups trying to sway the national debate over health care. Altogether, groups on various sides of the debate have spent an average of about $1 million a day in recent weeks, analysts say. Some ads from conservative groups say Democrats want to bring Canadian-style, government-run health care to the US. Supporters of health-care overhaul, meanwhile, have resurrected "Harry and Louise," the fictional couple whose on-screen fretting about government involvement in their medical decisions helped sink the Clinton administration's effort to revamp the health-care system. This time, the couple are singing a different tune, calling for legislation to guarantee coverage for Americans with pre-existing medical conditions.