• TV Week, Tuesday, August 26, 2008 9 AM

The national political conventions will kick off a fall blitz of political advertising that could be massive. Evan Tracey, chief operating officer of the TNS Campaign Media Analysis Group, predicts the tidal wave of ads will be so large that campaigns will seek secondary locations for their ads because prime venue -- spots on TV stations -- will be unavailable.

"Here they come, and it's getting nasty," Tracey said last week when a Republican advocacy group announced its advertising plans.

Political ad spending is already in the stratosphere. Four years ago, $427 million had been spent on political ads through Aug. 19. This year, spending has already exceeded $750 million and could reach more than $1 billion by November, says Tracey.

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