Colorado’s 2010 political season is becoming known for some of the nastiest campaign advertising in the nation.
Will the candidates who have resisted attack ads until now go negative in the home stretch?
More importantly, will Colorado TV viewers make it through the final week without being scarred by toxic attack ads?
With money from shadowy groups outside the state underwriting a tidal wave of negative political advertising, local viewers are feeling the ill effects of the campaign season.
The barrage of sniping, digs and dizzying spin continues. The goal now for those of us on the couch is to make it through one more grueling week of political campaign advertising with time out for the “Project Runway” finale, in many respects a more civilized race, on Thursday night.
Rather than reach for the mute button when the sparring starts, why not check out the local media sites that provide checks on the truth in advertising? KMGH produces “Facts or Fiction,” KUSA has a “Truth Test Quick Hit” online, Shaun Boyd provides a “Reality Check” on KCNC, Eli Stokols keeps an eye on the craziness/nastiness for KDVR.
And at , you can look for the newspaper’s “Political Polygraph” features.
Exaggerations, falsehoods and misdirections are classic tools of the political media strategists. Confirming what we already know, ABC News’ Jake Tapper on a “Follow the Money” segment reported from Denver that Colorado is “ground zero” for anonymous independent groups shelling out money for political ads. There has been more spending by third-party groups in Colorado than in any other state.
Colorado is basking, or maybe marinating, in the media limelight this election season. The irony: Even as local TV stations have been hosting candidate debates and filing rigorous local midterm election coverage, the biggest news ripples in the Colorado races were made by national news organizations. When NBC’s “Meet the Press” had the candidates for Colorado’s Senate race on the air, Republican Ken Buck’s derogatory comments about gays (likening homosexuality to alcoholism) sent the blogosphere into overdrive and even earned a mocking on “Saturday Night Live.”
Currently Buck and Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet are tied at 47 percent, according to a Denver Post/9News automated poll. The races have local TV public affairs teams on their toes.
A very productive partnership between KBDI Colorado Public Television (CPT12) and KCNC-CBS 4 resulted in a season-long series of debates, with analysis provided by CBS 4 anchor Jim Benemann and CPT12’s Eric Sondermann. Give them credit for devoting time to elucidating the issues in the midst of all the expensive spin. A debate among gubernatorial contenders John Hickenlooper, Dan Maes and Tom Tancredo is slated for 6 p.m. Friday on Channel 4.
So far, KDVR has the distinction of hosting the rowdiest gubernatorial debate, last Friday.
KUSA and KMGH have also presented debates featuring the three would-be governors, and Aaron Harber has been more than holding up his end of election coverage on Sunday nights on KCDO-Channel 3, racking up some 48 debates and interviews. “Colorado Election 2010: The Final Word” wraps the season on Channel 3 at 8 p.m. Sunday.
KCNC plans a one-hour “election guide” at 6 p.m. Saturday. Colorado Public Radio continues issues coverage this week and will collaborate with NPR on Election Night with hourly local reports. Univision, which last week refused to air a GOP-backed ad urging Latino voters to stay home on Election Day, will cover the midterm elections with KCEC providing cut-ins with its usual focus on Latino voters in Colorado.
Plans vary for Election Night next Tuesday as networks pre-empt prime- time programming in chunks:
Channel 12 will devote its entire prime time to coverage of the results; Channel 6 will clear 7-9 p.m.
CBS will take one hour away from the entertainment lineup at 8 p.m. on Channel 4 for election coverage, NBC will cut in from 7-9 p.m. ABC plans to begin coverage at 8:30 p.m. Fox will devote 7-8 p.m. All will offer local cut-ins and refer viewers to online and cable coverage from there. Local teams return at 10 p.m. for extended local wrap-ups.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
