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MBTA to install 60 new billboards in Eastern Mass.
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Comments
Well...
I guess they did one thing right today.
They don't get to say anything
There are a number of billboards in Medford along the I-93 corridor. Every so often, there is some local politician who wants to go a "gimme gimme gimme" rampage or a "billboards are death and blight our lovely freeway and dilapidated industrial area vistas" crusade. Said isolated inhabitant of the Island of Mefuh always gets shot down quite quickly.
Why? Court orders and case law, that's why. Communities are not allowed to zone out billboards.
Kind of refreshing, actually. Maybe it means we will get some meaningful comprehensive regional land use planning someday if towns can be told to stuff it on certain things. Too bad it only seems to be adult entertainment and billboards and tattoo parlors at present, but maybe snob zoning will die a similar death someday.
Billboards = Yuck
I've seen photos of places like Union Square and Davis Square when they still had billboards. They look a lot better today without them, because Somerville had the good sense to prohibit them via zoning laws. Why shouldn't Medford be able to do the same thing?
Frankly
I don't really hate billboards (but I do like Ogden Nash.) And if the MBTA can increase its advertising revenue without directly socking me in the wallet, good lord by all means let them do it.
Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that there'll be fare hikes anyway and who knows where the hell the money will eventually end up -- I have zero confidence in the T's budgeting ability -- but the T has reached the "any port in a storm" point and they're damned if they do, damned if they don't. We can't keep shouting down everything they do.
Legal Matter
http://somervillenews.typepad.com/the_somerville_n...
Somerville and Medford went to court and lost because they can't tell a state agency what to do.
Egalitarian dystopia
I find billboards offensive.
But I suppose that one small redeeming quality of putting billboards along the highway is that at least it's not another imposition on public transit riders.
Public transit riders are already in some ways treated as second-class citizens relative to drivers, and on top of that, the MBTA sells the attention of these captive riders to advertisers. Highway billboards spread the ugliness to drivers.
Nobody should have the ugliness of billboards inflicted upon them, but if we force it on some people, forcing it on everyone is only equitable.
I say this partly because it's amusing, but I also think there's some truth to it.
MBTA rights-of-way go through dense urban areas
I don't like this idea because it could easily lead to new billboards on top of the Davis Square T station, or the Ruggles T station, or all those new Green Line stations that are going to open in Somerville and Medford over the next few years. How would you like a huge billboard on Lowell Street in Somerville, for example?
I'd much rather see the T find more ways to sell advertising inside stations and vehicles. Even better if it such ads promote local businesses near the stations and along the bus and subway routes.
I suspect that pushing that
I suspect that pushing that much additional advertising revenue generation into the stations and vehicles would make using the T much more unpleasant.
What's the point of people being able to get around if their souls are crushed? :)
This doesn't have to be a choice between two options of where to put more advertising. The MBTA's business is transportation, not advertising medium, and costs and funding can be addressed other ways.
Co$t of doing business
Perhaps the T should stop advertising altogether. It's not like they're $5 billion in debt or anything.
I'm sure the majority of T riders will sacrifice having their souls crushed now and then if it means no fare increase. I'm not a huge fan of billboards either but looking for ways to maximize revenue in the middle of a Recession (with a capital "R") is a smart business decision. It puts construction guys back to work erecting billboards, gives ad salespeople the opportunity to earn some commission, employs graphic artists to create ads, and is a shot in the arm to the local printers who are contracted to print those billboards. Sounds like a someone at the MBTA saw a couple of lemons and decided to make lemonade.
I don't know about you
But my soul is strong enough to withstand the horrors of (gasp!) advertising!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean, if anyone is so pathetic that the glimpse of a placard shilling orange juice or iPods is going to crush their souls, they're not gonna be able to tolerate the B line on a weekday morning in the first place.
How much *additional*
How much *additional* advertising in the stations could your rigorous constitution tolerate, atop the increasing stresses of public transit and general life in this economy?
For the moment, please assume no video nor flashing lights, and quantify in terms of % of typical-inanity ad per square foot of visible surface.
My actuaries are standing by. :)
Advertising in stations
Used to be a lot more of it than there is now:
Ads on the T
My husband's father used to bring home "used" ads that were interesting for one reason or another ... or sometimes just to recycle as stiff paper for his art projects.
MBTA: Public Agency
Let's open the books and see how much Clear Channel paid for the rights to the 30 new billboards along 93 north coming out of Boston.
Let's see who Dan Grabasskas got put on Clear Channel's payroll.
Hmmmm. Shall weeeee?
Yes, I think we should.
Such things are not
Such things are not unheard-of in the history of Massachusetts government, so cynicism is understandable.
But I don't recall ever hearing any evidence of Grabauskas being involved in unethical dealings, and creating unsubstantiated rumors doesn't seem fair to the individual.
If you have a hot tip, journalists love that stuff, and they love to give each other awards for following through on it.