“This Yellow Space for Rent” by Catherine Rampell
New York Times, April 15, 2011
Topic: Advertising in Government owned space
Summary: Schools and other Government property are being used as advertising space as a source of revenue. Some states have been selling ads on school busses, in cafeterias, on school websites, and in holding areas at jails.
Intended audience: General Public
Key Points:
- Schools, jails, and other government entities are strapped for cash
- They can earn money by selling advertisements that are placed in cafeterias, on websites, in jails, and on the sides of school busses.
- Do we want our kids exposed to even more advertising, especially when it gives the impression that the school is endorsing the products?
- There are some bans on advertising for sexual content, alcohol, and tobacco on school busses, but not necessarily for junk food – just as we are taking those items physically out of schools, we are putting them back in the form of advertisements.
I find myself continually annoyed by advertising. I have not had television for going on six years now and, when I go home for the holidays, I find myself angry at the amount of crap that is forcefully shoved down people's throats.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta have it! If you get this, your life will be complete! It's frustrating.
What is equally as frustrating is the transformation of what used to be public spaces into brothels of consumerism. Take the internet for example. Ads have almost always been present, but it is only recently that they have been made compulsory. Remember when youtube had no corporate presence? Remember when facebook was about sharing pictures with college friends? Remember when school buses were for getting from point A to point B?
hmmm... somehow when I posted this the final sentence was cut off, I meant to include "at school" to end the post.
ReplyDeleteI also remember when my high school didn't even HAVE school buses except for the kids that were coming in from Coburg (small town north of Eugene). The advertising sucks, but what if that's the only way they can offset costs to provide that type of service for students?
I think my feelings on this have a spectrum depending on the location of the advertisement:
In school cafeterias: NO
On school buses: Maybe - we see ads on other types of public transportation all the time (Tri-Met buses and trains, LTD down in Eugene)
In the jail holding room: Why not?
The advertising may be the only way to offset the costs of the bus service. Still, it is a bitter pill to swallow. I have a particular aversion to all types of corporate advertising. In a political science course in college we discussed the cognitive science behind large corporate advertising, and it disgusted me to the point of no return.
ReplyDeleteJeff - I just watched this video and I think you might like it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8
Let the advertisers pay! Hahaha, yes advertising on school property in an attempt to bring in an unknown profit seems desperate, but desperate times are calling for desperate measures. Promote colleges, technology, foods and grocery stores, an active lifestyle, TV shows or other productions, whatever it may be! The school gets some money and those people who choose to go buy the product then also stimulate the economy in their own little way, right?
ReplyDeleteI get bothered by advertiding too, or rather just tired of it, but not enough to be opposed to such an idea...