We did not imagine it.  We were inundated with political ads this election.  A study of the political advertising and news coverage this past election done by political scientists at the University of Wisconsin showed:  

"The following is a typical 30-minute broadcast breakdown:

- Total advertising: 9 min., 46 sec.

- Political advertising: 4 min., 24 sec.

- Average number of political ads: 8.81

- Sports and weather: 6 min., 58 sec.

- Crime: 2 min., 20 sec.

- Other: 2 min., 13 sec.

- Local interest: 1 min., 54 sec.

- Teasers, bumpers, intros: 1 min., 51 sec.

- Election coverage: 1 min., 43 sec.

- Non-campaign government news: 1 min., 2 sec.

- Business and economy: 47 seconds

- Health: 45 seconds

- Foreign policy: 27 sec.

- Unintentional injury: 14 sec.

Above is for the Great Lakes markets including: Columubus, Chicago,  Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Cleveland,  Madison, and Milwaukee according to UW:

"From Oct. 7 to Nov. 6, NewsLab captured and coded the content of early- and late-evening newscasts on 28 ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates in seven markets in the five-state region." Mike McCabe* of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a political reform organization supported by the Joyce Foundation adds, "Today's report shows that paid political ads have now become the primary source of information leading into our elections. During such an important election cycle, it is alarming to see that viewers were influenced more by campaign consultants than by objective television coverage."

* no relation. 

The Joyce Foundation has a break out by state. 

On November 7,  the politicians were nice enough to return control of our TV's to us. 

C. 2006 Columbus Best Blog