Are the Media Helping Karen Handel on Purpose?

Twice in the last month, Karen Handel has rolled out radio ads attacking her opponents. The media have reported these developments and her message without much scrutiny.

They have left a couple key questions, why would she run radio ads eight months before a primary? How big is the buy?

Lets start with the last questions, first. Through publically available documents the answers are easy.

Handel’s radio buy the week of September 6th – $718. On September 13th – $368. On September 23d – $368.  At those spending levels, Handel would have at best a handful of radio spots per week. A decent statewide radio buy in Georgia would cost around $50,000 per week.

So why do it? Because an unwitting media is giving her thousands of dollars in free airtime by trumpeting her latest ads without checking all the facts.

Its not just radio ads though. Handel unveiled a much-publicized billboard attacking her GOP opponents. Yet one billboard, on one road in Georgia eight months before the primary would have no impact on the race. Except when the unwitting media come along and spread her message for little to no cost.

The tactic is brilliant by the Handel campaign. They get free statewide coverage for what they might normally spend on a parade.

For the media, it is a question of what did they know? Did they ask how much the buy was and were lied too? Or were they so eager to report on the campaign, that they forgot to check and see if this was anything more than a gimmick for earned media.

That returns us to our first question. Are the media helping Karen Handel on purpose? Or is it just gross negligence in failing to do their job?