Dept. Of Health And Human Services Indicates Ad Spending On Local Media Is On The Way

Response

The DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES plans to spend advertising money on local radio and TV stations to inform the public during the COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS pandemic, according to a letter from the agency to Senators asking about the issue.

Responding to Sens. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV), HHS Ass't. Secretary for Public Affairs MICHAEL R. CAPUTO (who, in the letter, refers to his being a former talk host at ENTERCOM News-Talk WBEN-A/BUFFALO) writes that the agency is "building a large campaign of purchased public-service announcements to keep Americans informed as the pandemic evolves and our country safely reopens. We are focused on working with small-to-medium sized media placement companies who will buy ad space for a flat fee, not a commission. By working with local firms with unique media relationships, we can work more effectively with local media outlets." A similar letter was sent to Sen. STEVE DAINES (R-MT).

The NAB and other media representative organizations have been pushing the administration to direct marketing funds appropriated in the pandemic relief bills to local media to help stations and newspapers stay afloat and disseminate critical information.

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