At Flytedesk, we believe in the power of student media because we come from it. Our data-informed approach and industry expertise help newsrooms turn high-impact election cycles into meaningful, sustainable revenue opportunities.

The 2024 cycle proved that student media is a powerhouse for political spend, and 2026 presents another great opportunity. That’s why we are re-introducing the Premium Election Reservation Program. By pre-reserving high-value inventory in key districts, we connect you to national demand and strategic placements—without the last-minute rush. For publishers selected for this program, we are committing to guaranteed minimum payment based on the product for reserved inventory that doesn’t sell.

Why this matters for your growth:

• Exclusive National Opportunities: We pre-reserve your premium placements, ensuring you capture national political spend without competing against local buyers.
• Revenue Security: By providing a Guaranteed Rate to selected applicants, we eliminate the "all-or-nothing" risk of holding space for late-breaking ads.
• Strategic Training: This isn't just an ad booking; it’s a targeted strategy to optimize your business team’s efficiency during the busiest time of the year.

Who is eligible?

Final eligibility for the program will be determined no later than July 8. We are focusing on schools in states with highly competitive races and encourage student media organizations in all of the following states to pre-apply:

(GA, NC, WI, MI, OH, PA, AZ, IA, NV, ME, NH, VA, MN, CO, KY,  IL, MD, NJ, TX, CA, MO, KS, NM).

Eligible organizations will meet the following criteria:

• Have the necessary resources to advertise through flytedesk digital, email, premium news racks, and print.
• Be actively seeking opportunities to optimize revenue generation in the upcoming election season.
• Have an innovative, flexible, and efficient business team for Fall 2026.
• Are willing to accept both partisan and non-partisan political advertising (Note: Please be aware that rejecting advertising could invalidate your agreement in the program. Publishers still maintain the right to reject any ad for any reason.
• Have a written political advertising policy that you can share with our team. (If you know that you will not accept partisan or non-partisan advertising in any form, please do not sign up. Or, talk to your editorial team and get that policy changed!)

This premium election reservation initiative is intended for student media programs with established resources. We are also offering this election grant program for publishers with limited resources. If you aren't sure which program is best for your organization, feel free to apply to either one, and our team will help match you to the program that best meets your needs.

How it works

1. Complete the application form below. Double-check for accuracy and completeness before submitting your application.
2. The flytedesk review panel will carefully evaluate each application based on the established criteria. This includes assessment of the feasibility, innovation, and alignment with the reservation objectives. Eligible media:
   1. Publish an AM and/or PM email newsletter on November 3 (Election Day) with no other advertisers. This can be separate "election coverage" or part of the regularly scheduled email but it must go to the full subscriber list.
   2. Agree to run all premium flytedesk digital placements on Election Day (masthead, interstitial, sticky bottom banner, in-content unit 1, in-content unit 2). Note: All digital ads MUST run through the flytedesk script tag, no other servers are accepted.
   3. Publish 1 print edition between October 13 and November 3 and reserve premium print placements (front page ribbon, full back page, and double truck) in that edition for political advertising.
   4. Reserve "premium" OOH panels (at least 18" x 36" panel size) or DOOH panels from October 13 to November 3.
   5. If your publication has the newest flytepanels (sent after 2023), reserve the bottom panels (where branding normally goes) from October 13 to November 3.
   6. Willing and able to accept and install a minimum of (5) A-frames on campus. A-frames will be shipped by October 13 and scheduled to run for 1 week, from October 27 to November 3.
   7. Be open to at least one street team event, including but not limited to distributing posters and flyers, between October 13 and November 3.
3. Final eligibility will be determined by July 8th. Publishers will receive formal written notice of their reservation acceptance.

Apply!

1. Complete the application form. We know you're busy so we've kept it simple. It should take less than 10 minutes to apply.
2. Hang tight! We will announce the final list of eligible states on July 8th.

Important Dates:

1. Application Deadline:
   June 29, 2026.
2. Final Decision Announcement:
   ‍July 8, 2026.
3. The Election Reservation Window:
   ‍October 13 – November 3, 2026.

Don't miss the opportunity to be at the forefront of informative election coverage! Flytedesk is here to champion your voice and elevate your organization’s impact.