The 2012 election may be over a year away, but it is already delivering dividends for cable news channels, which have been selling election ad packages at a brisk pace. Broadcasting & Cable‘s Jon Lafayette has more (subscription required):

[CNN ad sales chief Greg] D’Alba says CNN has already sold six major election packages. He declined to name the sponsors, but said they’re in the automotive, technology and energy categories.

CNN’s campaign packages include debates, conventions, town halls, primary results and election night, and are worth millions of dollars. “Our sponsorships are integrated,” D’Alba says. “They’re buying TV, they’re buying digital, they’re buying mobile.”

As for MSNBC:

During the upfront, MSNBC also sold a number of campaign sponsorships, some at a gold level, some at a silver level. “The crux of what’s encapsulated in the packages is a unique and custom billboard sponsorship that only the election sponsors will have, so they’ll really stand out,” Barrington says.

The sponsorships include programming ranging from MSNBC’s Morning Joe to the network’s primetime hosted shows and events such as debates and primaries, all leading up to NBC’s broadcast coverage on Nov. 6, 2012, from Election Plaza at 30 Rock.