Obama Infomercial Seen By One In Five Households In Top Local Markets

In terms of political T.V. — particularly the often-boring form of political infomercials — Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s 30 minute infomercial last night was a big hit: it got a rating of 21.7 percent in top markets.

To use the entertainment newspaper Variety’s decades-old famous term, Obama proved to be big B.O. (the letters stand for “Box Office”).

But the question now becomes: will the viewership the infomercial got pay off and will this show have “legs” enough so its payoff is felt all the way to election day?

The combined overall household rating for Senator Barack Obama’s Wednesday night infomercial, in the top 56 local television markets where Nielsen maintains electronic TV meters, was 21.7.

Obama’s simulcast is the first to be aired by a presidential candidate since Ross Perot ran a political telecast on the eve of Election Day in 1996. That program was watched by 16.8% of all households nationwide.

Ross Perot also ran a series of 15 political telecasts during the 1992 presidential election.

In comparison, the final debate between the two presidential candidates received a 38.3 household rating in the top 56 local TV markets. The candidates’ first debate on September 26 received a 34.7 household rating in the top 55 markets; their second debate, on October 7, received a 42.0 household rating in those markets.

The questions about the Obama T.V. infomercial now become:
(1) Did it solidify voters he already had and will it motivate them to be sure to get to the polls?
(2) Did its overall mood of reassurance win over any lingering swing voters who still have their doubts about him?
(3) Even before it was aired, it could be predicted that it would be blasted by Republicans but were any criticisms aimed at it the kind that viewers would agree with? Could it have backfired in any way?

Stay tuned for Election Day to find out if the Obama Show has been canceled — or picked up for a four year run…