Local businesses are not changing how or how much they advertise because of the war on Iraq, industry insiders say.

"I've seen very little change," said Mark Bentz, vice president and general manager of Journal Broadcasting Group. "In fact, we kind of anticipated there would be changes."

But he said Journal, which owns four radio stations in Tucson including top-rated KMXZ Mix-FM 94.9, saw only a few national advertisers pull back in the first couple of days of the conflict. He said ad sales are back to normal for the group.

Michael Bolchalk, president and CEO of Michael Bolchalk Marketing, said his clients are sticking with their marketing strategies.

"We have a diverse group of clients. I have not seen one single change," he said.

Jeff Nordensson of the Nordensson Group said his clients have not pulled ads as a result of the war, either.

"We haven't had anyone who said, 'We're not spending money,' " he said. "They're carrying on just as though it's not going to affect them."

He noted the larger economic impact of the war will have some effect on advertisers, though.

"The national economy is going to react to it (the Iraqi war), and that's going to ripple down."

Cathy Davis, president and CEO of Tucson Newspapers Inc., said advertisers did pull some ads starting March 17, when President Bush gave his speech giving Iraq 48 hours to disarm.

"We're seeing some impact, but it is lessening as time goes on," she said. Davis said it was primarily national advertisers that curtailed spending.

Bolchalk noted smaller local clients may not be able to afford to make quick changes in their advertising strategies.

"It takes money and time to make those kinds of changes. If clients are happy with their advertising approach, it makes no sense to change it."

He cautioned advertisers about adding war themes.

"I think clients need to be very careful of that. They could be accused of exploiting the situation with Iraq," Bolchalk said. "I think consumers are bright enough to discern if they're being taken advantage of or if the situation has been taken taken advantage of."

Journal's Bentz said his stations not only sell advertising, but they also buy advertising on television. He said Journal doesn't have any changes planned in its advertising strategy if the war drags on, but added that the future remains uncertain.

"There's all kinds of weird things that could potentially happen that could undermine consumer confidence further," Bentz said.

For now, advertisers don't seem to be letting the conflict get in the way of their livelihoods, Nordensson said.

"I think they're worried about it more as human beings than as marketers," he said.