Wheel of Fortune has been a mainstay in that block of time between the 6:00 evening news and the start of primetime at 7 for 25 years. Hardly a blockbuster for ratings compared with the shows that come on after it, but according to new data from the ad wizards over at TNS Media ol' Pat and Vanna have been dubiously kinged the top show for the three major 2008 presidential candidates to spend advertising money on. So far, Obama tops the pack with a little over a million dollars spent during Wheel. Hillary Clinton trails only slightly with $815,000 spent and McCain comes in at $185,000.
It definitely seems like an odd choice but realistically, it's quite a buy for the candidates. The ad spots are cheap and there is bound to be a viewer who isn't fast enough to change the channel after the news, or one that jumps the gun before Deal or No Deal or Dancing with the Stars. Also, because the premise of the show is puzzle work, how could the audience not be engaged? If you get that first spot in a commercial break chances are the audience would still be watching.
Unless of course this type of incident just occurred before the break, it might make folks at home talk amongst themselves: