Free political campaign advertising has started this Tuesday, August 17, in Brazil. Like the elections themselves, the advertising rules are strict, rigid and detailed.
The free election commercials that all parties have a right to are presented every day except Sunday at specific times. On the radio, there are two 25-minute blocks of commercials; the first is at exactly 7:00 am, the second at noon.
On TV another two 25-minute sessions take place at 1:00 pm and 8:30 pm. That works out to four blocks of 25-minutes for a total of 100 minutes of election commercials per day.
But, there is more: parties also have a right to put on the air six 30-second ads per day; these shorter ads will go on the air on Sundays as well.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays candidates for the presidency and the Chamber of Deputies will be on the air. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays candidates for governor, the Senate and state legislative assemblies will present their ads.
Each 25-minute block of commercials and the 30-second ads are carefully divided up among the parties based on representation in Congress.
As a result, the 25-minute blocks for the presidential candidates will be divided as follows: Dilma Rousseff will have ten minutes, 38 seconds and 54/100ths of a second. Jose Serra will have seven minutes, 18 seconds and 54/100ths of a second. Marina Silva will have one minute, 23 seconds and 22/100ths of a second.
Plínio Sampaio will have 1 minute, 1 second and 94/100ths of a second. Each of other six candidates (Rui Costa Pimenta (PCO), José Maria de Almeida (PSTU), José Maria Eymael (PSDC), Levy Fidelix (PRTB) and Ivan Pinheiro (PCB) ) will have 55 seconds and 56/100ths of a second each.
Here is a chart showing how this will work:
Office Days Time in minutes
Governor Mon, Wed and Fri 36
State representatives Mon, Wed and Fri 34
senator Mon, Wed and Fri 30
President Tues, Thurs and Sat 50
Federal deputy Tues, Thurs and Sat 50
