• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, October 31, 2016

TV advertising is still important for any political season, even with less than two weeks before an election.

But the real noise? Not coming exactly from where you think.

Just weeks before the election, Donald Trump is now outspending Hillary Clinton on TV -- something many believe he should have been doing for months -- if not a year ago.

Trump spent $14.4 million in the week from October 18 through 24, with Clinton spending $13.9 million. Going forward  the next week and half or so, Trump is projected to spend $30.6 million to Clinton’s $22.2 million, according to Kantar Media/CMAG data analyzed by Bloomberg Politics.

Is this enough to change the direction of the campaign -- which is moving in Clinton's favor? As usual, Trump has never relied on just paid TV advertising to fuel his support, as well as ascension to the Republican Presidential contender.

Overall, Trump has only spent $58.4 million, which started some 12 weeks before the election. By comparison, Clinton ramped up spending 21 weeks before the election, spending some $172.8 million. This doe not include money from super-Pacs and other outside groups.

For many there is a weariness about the campaign -- among voters, according to many polls. Earned media -- TV appearances -- may have reached beyond saturation point, especially for Trump. It makes sense to switch the vehicle for that messaging -- to hit potential voters in another way.

Also mixing this up, with all this messaging, is a new separate FBI investigation -- not of Clinton emails -- but of other information concerning Clinton.

But perhaps most glaring in this high-profile and controversial presidential campaign, is how paid presidential TV advertising compares to the previous contest in 2012.

In both cases, Democratic and Republican candidates are spending less now than their previous respective candidates: Barack Obama, at $221.8 million to Clinton’s $172.8 million; Mitt Romney’s $138.3 million to Trump’s $58.4 million.

The last two weeks of both elections look this way: Obama spent $45 million; Clinton’s plans, $22.2 million. On the other side Romney, spent $43.6 million and Trump plans $30.6 million.

President campaign seems wildly saturated with news, accusations and other fringe information. But TV advertising -- at least for the race to the White Hosue? The big data says not so much.