Commercials are a necessary part of television because they fund the programming we enjoy. Usually these advertisements are trying to sell a product – even if the product is a human being.

The 2006 election season is upon us, and political advertisements promoting candidates have been bombarding our television screens for months.

The advertisements, which are mainly produced by groups working for a candidate, or in support of a candidate, are direct messages to the channel surfing public.

Republican U.S. Senator Mike DeWine, of Ohio, and his opponent in the upcoming election, Sherrod Brown, have placed such advertisements across Ohio’s television screens.

Brown’s press secretary for his campaign for U.S. senator, Ben Labolt, believes that advertising is a big part of any campaign.

“The goal is to portray a contrast between what DeWine has done for the state with Brown’s record,” Labolt said. “Sherrod’s campaign is driven by a call to change across the state.”

Political advertisements are not unlike regular, product-selling commercials. Companies, whether they are selling shampoo, fast food or search engines usually try to explain to the audience why the other company’s product doesn’t work.

Naturally, candidates feel they are being falsely portrayed in their opponent’s commercials.

“Sherrod Brown will not let false attacks go unexplained,” Labolt said. “It’s important to respond with the facts.”

Although each candidate is able to make their point clear, “the facts” are disputable in the game of politics.

Citizens are able to do their own research on the candidates each election year, but campaign advisers realize the quickest way to grab the public’s attention is with a television advertisement.

Labolt believes the advertisements are critical, but not a deciding factor in an election.

“Candidates need to be out there in the public, meeting people,” Labolt said.

W. Tom Wiseman, a University political science professor and former mayor of Defiance, Ohio, believes that television advertisements are more important now than they have ever been.

“Political advertisements have become so sophisticated and professionally done, that they have such an impact these days,” Wiseman said.

The informed voter, who researches candidates on his own, may feel these advertisements are a cheap way to lure voters. Politicians are not targeting this group of voters with these advertisements.

Mark Ingles, a political science major at the University, believes campaign advertisements are extremely important.

“In a culture divided among party lines, advertisements play a key role in finding undecided voters,” Ingles said. “Their first impression of a candidate could be these advertisements.”