Elections

Elections 2026: Show Me the Money! (Part I)

Contributor: Dr. Leo Kivijarv, EVP/Research, PQ Media

Every election cycle raises the same question: How much money will campaigns spend on advertising & marketing?

The answer has less to do with which party wins than with how competitive the races become. History has consistently shown that when elections tighten, fundraising accelerates. As campaigns compete for persuadable voters, advertising budgets grow, media markets become more valuable, and broadcasters and other media operators see increased demand for political advertising & marketing. That dynamic is shaping the 2026 midterm elections.

Radio Creates Demand. Digital Captures It.

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Part One: Why the Best Marketing Strategies Don’t Choose Between Radio and Digital

Note: This is the first article in a two-part series exploring how radio and digital work together to build consumer trust and drive measurable business results.

Consumers don’t think in terms of media channels. They simply respond to messages that capture their attention. They may hear about a business on the radio during their morning commute, search for it later that afternoon and make a purchase from their phone that evening. To the consumer, it is one seamless experience. Yet marketers often evaluate each step independently, making it appear as though radio and digital are competing when, in reality, they are working together.

What’s on the Horizon for Radio

Contributor: Nicole Ovadia, vice president of forecasting and analysis, BIA Advisory Services

The radio advertising landscape is in the midst of a dynamic transformation, but within this evolution lies a world of untapped potential. As consumer habits adapt and digital integration becomes the norm, key industries are reshaping their advertising strategies. Yet, amidst these changes, local radio stands strong as a resilient and potent force in the media mix – the fifth largest media when you examine the total local advertising marketplace.

Elections 2024: Initial Projections for 2024 Political Media Buying

Contributor: Dr. Leo Kivijarv, EVP/Research, PQ Media

Last week’s post focused on the 20 unknowns of this year’s political cycle. This week, the focus will be on political media buying, trends and broadcast radio’s role and opportunities.

Elections 2024: The Great Unknowns

Highlights of the Data & Trends from PQ Media’s preliminary Political Media Buying 2024

Contributor: Dr. Leo Kivijarv, EVP/Research, PQ Media

For the seventh time since 2012, PQ Media is sharing its outlook on political media buying from its election cycle report with RAB members. During a recent presentation, I noted how this election cycle differs significantly from every previous cycle due to a plethora of unanswered questions that still exist. Some of these questions come seven months before the elections, which for this blog I’m calling the Great Unknowns – there are 20. That’s how unpredictable this year’s election cycle has become in determining how much will be spent by candidates, political action groups (PACs) and advocacy groups promoting or objecting to a ballot referendum.

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