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Political Advertising A Record High In Arkansas

This year’s election cycle has brought millions of dollars to Arkansas media in the form of political advertising. Doug Krile is the executive director of Arkansas Broadcasting Association. He says the amount of money being spent on advertising is vastly more than years prior. 

“The amount of money being spent in Arkansas is unreal. The flood gates have really opened up,” he says. "What I’m hearing from our members is that, yes, this is unique. This has never happened before.”

Krile says to his knowledge, the vast majority of advertising space has been sold out to political ads.

“That’s because of the contentious nature of some of these races,” he explains. “And all of the third party money that can now flow into the state because of advertising. They’re going for every possible way they can reach the voters’ eyes and ears.”

The ads have primarily gone to television, although Krile adds recent weeks have shown a rise in radio advertising.

By this point most viewers are probably fed up with political ads but, says Krile, the revenue generated from ad space has been a huge boom for television stations in particular. 

Michael Hibblen was a journalist for KUAR News from May 2009 — December 2022. During his final 10 years with the station, he served as News Director. In January 2023, he was hired by Arkansas PBS to become its Senior Producer/ Director of Public Affairs.
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