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Advocacy Blog
Thursday, April 03, 2008
The Business of Citizen Campaigning
A new website, www.votervoter.com allows individuals to either broadcast their own political ads or support those of others. The Nation states; "Forget the YouTube election. For the first time, Americans can now run their own political advertising campaigns on television, thanks to VoterVoter.com, a new business unit of a major advertising firm. Starting around $1,000, the site lets people purchase broadcast time in any market across the country, target specific demographics, and choose an ad for their candidate or cause -- or even make their own. Current users kept their names private, for now, but [Federal Election Commission] FEC law requires that buyers' names are listed at the end of the ads when they air."
VoterVoter also provides the FEC required sponsorship disclosure information at the end of each ad and automatically files for you the required FEC contribution form.
Such advertising paid for through VoterVoter is an interesting approach to citizens' communications to candidates. The Hill quotes founder Eric Mathewson; "In practice, people could always do this, but because putting together a TV commercial and buying TV time just seemed a little bit too onerous, it just didn't happen, [. . .] Mathewson said he has heard from Democrats and Republicans who wanted to do more to help an individual candidate but were stifled by $2,300 contribution limits."
Posted by Amanda Adams
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