M.T.A. Will Ban Alcohol Advertising on Buses and Subways
M.T.A. Will Ban Alcohol Advertising on Buses and Subways
The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday banned advertising of alcoholic beverages on New York City buses, subway cars and stations, contending
that the social benefits of deterring underage drinking outweighed the loss of revenue.
The estimated $2 million in revenue derived each year from alcohol advertising is a minuscule figure
compared with the authority’s budget, said Joseph J. Lhota, the chairman of the authority.
“When advertisers understand that we have approximately 1.6 million people every single
day through the system — it’s a fabulous place to advertise,” Mr. Lhota said.
are disproportionally targeting communities of color, lower-income communities
and also young people,” said Jazmin Rivera, a spokeswoman for Building Alcohol Ad-Free Transit.
Effective immediately, the agency will no longer accept new alcohol-related ads; existing
contracts for such ads will be honored until the contracts expire at the end of the year
In 2015, the board voted to ban political advertising on subways
and buses to avoid legal challenges it had faced in rejecting some ads with political messages.
The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday banned advertising of alcoholic beverages on New York City buses, subway cars and stations, contending
that the social benefits of deterring underage drinking outweighed the loss of revenue.
The estimated $2 million in revenue derived each year from alcohol advertising is a minuscule figure
compared with the authority’s budget, said Joseph J. Lhota, the chairman of the authority.
“When advertisers understand that we have approximately 1.6 million people every single
day through the system — it’s a fabulous place to advertise,” Mr. Lhota said.
are disproportionally targeting communities of color, lower-income communities
and also young people,” said Jazmin Rivera, a spokeswoman for Building Alcohol Ad-Free Transit.
Effective immediately, the agency will no longer accept new alcohol-related ads; existing
contracts for such ads will be honored until the contracts expire at the end of the year
In 2015, the board voted to ban political advertising on subways
and buses to avoid legal challenges it had faced in rejecting some ads with political messages.