KUER NewsTranscript: September 12, 2000
By Steve Spencer

The first political ads for Utah's Second District hit the airwaves this week. Two television spots feature Democrat Jim Matheson, while Republican Derek Smith put a radio ad into circulation. The high national profile of the hard-to-predict race means the ads are just the beginning. Both campaigns say they are raising money fast and have hired outside consultants ready to spend it.

Reporter: National and local insiders have been thinking about the race fo Utah's Second Congressional District for a long time. Now the high-powered political consultants hired by the two major-party candidates want the public to start to think about the election this November, and they're using carefully crafted political ads to do the job. This ad features Democrat Jim Matheson:

Matheson Ad: "I was taught at home not to judge people by what party they belong to, but rather to listen to their ideas. That's what's wrong with Washington. The Democrats say one thing, the Republicans say another. No one listens, and all they do is fight."

University of Utah Communication Professor Dennis Alexander: When he says things like, 'In my home I learned...,' reminding us he's Scott Matheson's son," says University of Utah Political communication professor Dennis Alexander.

Alexander: "Or when he says things like, 'I can work with both Republicans and Democrats,' we want to hear that bipartisan message, we want to hear him running negative against Washington."

Alexander says Matheson's Washington-based media experts are using a common approach for a newcomer -- ads against an opponent may backfire, but you can always criticize the government.

That is, the government in power now. As Alexander points out, Matheson subtly refers to his father, Scott, a popular, three-term Democratic governor of Utah. Matheson's opponent, Derek Smith, is also using ties to a former governor to win votes, but he's not using as much subtlety. This radio ad started airing this week.

Smtih Ad: "Hello, this is Norm Bangerter. This November we can elect a remarkable man to Congress. His name is Derek Smith. Derek is one of Utah's brightest stars."

Besides several terms as governor of Utah, Bangerter is also Chairman of Smith's campaign committee. He goes on to describe Smith in general terms: as a father, search-and-escue volunteer and businessman. Just like Matheson, this first general election ad - -- produced, this time, by a Texas consultant -- merely introduces the candidate.

Alexander says that's often the cycle political advertising will follow: First, soft, casual, even congenial ads to "shake hands" with the voters. Then come harder-hitting, issue-related spots and sometimes negative attack ads, with a return right before the election to a strong new wave of name recognition ads only.

Political consultants of both parties have spent years doing it that way, Alexander says, and lately, Utah's unpredicable Second District has attracted that expensive experience -- almost always from out-of-state. You probably won't see anything flashy in the ads themselves, Alexander says. But the money will churn behind the scenes.

Alexander: "There's a myth that because somebody's not from Utah, they don't understand what the target market looks like. But they're not writing ads based upon their Washington or their Texas affiliations. They're helping write message ads based upon what the candidate wants to say first of all, and secondly what the polling data say about this as a community. And so the ads are being targeted very carefully to the particular values and interests in this community, but that's why this campaign will be so expensive. Because they're bringing in large amounts of polling data so they know they're not mis-writing an ad."

Smith is filming his own television ads this week. In the meantime, Matheson will also roll out an ad on prescription drugs.

I'm Steve Spencer, KUER News.

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