Lingle TV channel has pros puzzled, but it’s bold

Much as generals are fated to fight the last war, rather than look ahead anticipating future battles, politicians and their advisers are condemned to run their last campaign.

So former Republican Gov. Linda Lingle’s leasing of an entire digital television channel appears to be an actual new idea.

Is it a good idea? Who is going to gather the kids, break open a bucket of chicken and watch a half-hour of their favorite Linda Lingle commercials?

Think a coffee hour on TV, advises Lenny Klompus, Lingle’s communications director.

Political campaigns live or die on the coffee hour. Friends or supporters of a candidate invite the politician to their house, and then people invite their friends to come and listen. Since the days of Jack Burns, people have been doing this. No miracles happen at these things, Democrats don’t become Republicans and the Fox News Nation isn’t suddenly turning on the Rachel Maddow Show.

But the message goes out.

"Being on Channel 110 provides an opportunity for people interested in politics, gives them a chance to hear us.

"If you are part of that group that says, ‘I like Linda but I want to check it out,’ we are able to communicate our message," explained Klompus.

Lingle’s step, however, is new ground; no one has tried to make a separate television channel part of their campaign. If it works, it will rocket across the country, and if it fails, it really won’t matter.

Still, broadcast industry pros seem puzzled by the move.

One veteran local media buyer, who makes a living buying television and radio spots for clients, was mystified by the "All Lingle, All the Time" TV channel.

"I can’t see her running just commercials," said the buyer, who asked not to be identified.

"Lingle is doing the right thing by buying television ads, they look good and she is doing an early job of fertilizing people’s minds," the buyer said.

Instead of buying a TV channel, Lingle should be buying "Hawaii Five-0," or the local 6 p.m. news, the buyer said.

"People watching television want to be entertained," the ad buyer added. "There is going to be enough political ads on television; who wants to watch more?"

Klompus said the Lingle station will quickly change into a more interactive format and will be promoted with newspaper and radio ads.

A local broadcast executive, who also asked not to be identified, said the entire broadcast industry is fighting an immense battle for people’s time — "their eyeballs," if you will.

"You buy television not to buy spots or commercials, you buy the eyeballs, the demographics and the people you want to reach to influence and vote for you. You are not going to get non-supporters to go there," the broadcaster predicted.

Traditional advertising thinking has it that if you buy ads on television or in the newspaper, the buyers know whom they are reaching and can tell if the ads will be watched.

"Today people are inundated with multiple screens all the time, TV, computer, phones — everything. This may sound sexy, but really, who is going to watch?" the broadcast executive said.

Klompus said TV Channel Lingle 2012 will evolve as the campaign moves along.

"You can’t run the same sort of campaign you ran in 2006," he said.

Klompus then brought up another element: There is only so much air time you can buy in Honolulu. The state has a limited number of television channels and obviously there are only 24 hours in a day to buy TV time.

"We tried to buy time on the NBA finals show and we got the last 60-second spot available," Klompus reported proudly.

In California, if you want to blanket the airwaves with commercials, you have to buy spots in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and many other markets. Here, you buy Honolulu and you are done.

It doesn’t matter how much money you have. There is only so much TV time you can buy, unless you actually create time.

Not only is Lingle trying to win as a Republican in a historically Democratic state, she may also be inventing a way to put a 25th hour on the clock.

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Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.