WASHINGTON -- Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama's campaign has bought five million dollars in advertisements to run on US television during the Olympic Games, an industry magazine said Thursday.

The ads will appear on the NBC network and its affiliated stations which are to broadcast the Olympic Games beginning August 8 in Beijing, AdAge said on its website.

The Illinois senator and NBC both declined to comment on the report.

Such an extended and wide-ranging advertising campaign is unusual for a presidential candidate, as contenders typically choose to focus their advertisements in more local markets such as crucial voting states.

The candidates for the White House in 2009 are projected to spend a total of $800 million in television advertisements this year, according to the Campaign Media Analysis Group.

In 2004, the candidates spent a total of $500 million on TV ads.

At the end of June, Republican John McCain reported having $26 million in campaign funds while Obama reported $71 million in his coffers.