CNPA touts the power of newspaper ads to politicians p. 23

By: M.L. Stein Campaign Advertising Plan brought in $269,000
to 73 papers in its first year and most candidates
who used newspaper ads bought through the plan won sp.

CALIFORNIA POLITICIANS ARE learning that newspaper advertising pays off.
The California Newspaper Publishers Association reported that its Campaign Advertising Plan in its first effort, brought in $269,000 spread among 73 member newspapers in the June primary election.
But what is more promising, according to CNPA state advertising manager Pat Dilbeck, is that several of the candidates who placed newspaper ads won.
Among them was U.S. Senate hopeful, Republican millionaire Michael Huffington, who bought $230,000 worth of advertising in 34 newspapers. CAP schedules totaling $39,000 appeared in 39 papers.
Other victors who placed ads in the "three-for-one" program included congressional candidates Don Rusk and Andrea Seastrand and state assembly contestant David O'Brien. Three other candidates, who ran ads in the Chino Champion, also finished on top. A newspaper-advertised ballot proposition also was approved.
Under CAP's one-order, one-bill program, political advertisers get three ads for the price of one. The ads run three times in five newspapers.
Dilbeck said CAP, in gearing up for the November general election, is already receiving inquiries from ad agencies and political consultants interested in buying space for candidates.
"After all," she observed, "newspaper readers are voters and they are more likely to get information in-depth from newspapers than television."
Dick Blankenburg, publisher of the Five Cities Times-Press-Recorder, which carried ads for Seastrand, recalled that Seastrand's opponent, Mike Stoker, may have absorbed this idea.
Prior to the primary election, Blankenburg said, Stoker told him, "We're not spending a dime in print."
Blankenburg, Dick Reddick of the Daily Press in Paso Robles and other publishers are touting CAP in their areas, referring candidates to the CNPA office in Sacramento for the buy.
"If someone wants to buy the whole state, we'll take care of them," said Dilbeck.