If you think you are seeing much less of the two major-party presidential candidates in TV ads this year compared to four years ago, it's not your imagination.
Political advertising spending at the four central Ohio network affiliates is only 25 percent of what it was during the presidential election cycle in 2012.
While the flood of money from the past two presidential cycles has slowed, the station operators don't appear alarmed.
"Surprised is a better word," said Chuck DeVendra, general sales manager at WCMH-TV (Channel 4).
"We can't control political (spending), so it is what it is," said John Cardenas, president and general manager of WBNS-TV (Channel 10).
The campaigns for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump placed orders for ads on WCMH, WSYX-TV (Channel 6), WBNS and WTTE-TV (Channel 28) in September totaling somewhere between $1.1 million and $1.8 million, based on estimates and public records.
In 2012, meanwhile, the campaigns for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney spent a combined $7.3 million. Both candidates in 2012 spent more individually last month than both candidates this year spent combined.
"It was an unprecedented flood four years ago," said Bob Clegg, a Republican strategist and senior vice president of Midwest Communications & Media of Carroll.