Nobody can determine as of yet the exact impact that the Court’s decision in “Citizen’s United” will have on the fall campaign cycle.

By reopening the door to corporate and union spending both supporting and denouncing candidates right up to Election Day the Court may have raised inventory control to new heights - depending on how the partisans react.

Given that the “special interests” are going to be paying high rates no matter when they come in, do they try to influence the campaign early (good for stations and for candidates) or do they hold their powder toward the end and make stations decide between what’s “good for business” and what’s “in the pubic interest” (good for stations and bad for candidates.)   More simply put will stations have to decide between lowest unit charge and “street rate plus” rates?  Will stations limit “lowest unit” selections?  Will certain local races be pushed aside (cable would love that – to a degree) and be denied access?

Business as usual (maximizing profits) guarantees congressional intrusion by the next cycle.  All you have to do is look to the CALM (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation) act designed to regulate sound levels within commercials currently before a Senate committee to see new government intrusion in broadcasting.

So if “interests” rush in at the end and gobble up “all” the available units they care to at the exclusion of candidate messages with “lowest unit charge” rates -- expect Congress to act again so that their messages (their controlled messages) cannot be pushed out by the big money interests looking for the “best Congress money can buy.”

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