The political window is changing. Again.

On Tuesday, July 27th Senate Republicans blocked legislation called the “Disclosure Act” virtually insuring an onslaught of attack television and radio ads in the 2010 mid-term elections. The Act would have forced corporations, unions and other groups to reveal the donors behind their political ads.

What does it mean from a media point of view?

Many expect a flood of advertising by special interests that might crowd out the campaigns by the candidates themselves. Big-money, third-party groups could lock in their ad buys early, before a candidate has raised the money to cover his or her media plan. Most of these ads will be negative in nature which means viewers and listeners will be subjected to an onslaught of what most consider offensive messaging. A non-political ad may be less watched and/or listened to if it’s surrounded by these spots. And rates will be higher, with stations charging premiums for spots that can’t be bumped.

It also means that more candidates will look for less-expensive options by moving their budgets online. Online media can be more narrowly targeted and provide immediate analysis of the effectiveness of the campaign.

Overall, the political window poses challenges for all advertisers and marketers. It would be in their best interest to consult with an agency that has a broad and deep view of all communication channels, with an emphasis on measurable results.