A public hearing was held last week on a bill being weighed in Massachusetts that would ban all advertising and marketing in schools, from kindergarten through high school.
If the bill were to pass, ads would be banned on everything from scoreboards to book covers. Broadcasts on buses by Bus Radio and those by the public affairs program Channel One, which airs in 300,000 classrooms across the country, would also be prohibited. The bill, called the most sweeping in the country, covers public school grounds and buildings or property owned or leased by a public school.
The bill would also affect lucrative contracts with beverage distributors for the sale of beverages in schools that often include exclusive advertising deals. The only advertising that would be allowed is the brand names and logos that appear on food packaging sold in the schools. The terms also prohibit any manufacturer of consumer products or services from donating promotional items or gifts that carry a logo or brand name.
The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Peter Koutoujian (D) and Rep. Jennifer Callahan (D) and backed by a number of children’s advocacy groups.
One group, Commercial Alert, said last week following the hearing that ads in schools are a threat to children, responsible for everything from obesity and family stress to gender stereotyping and financial problems.
“Children are assaulted by commercial messages in almost every aspect of their lives and the schools to the extent possible should be a haven,” said Robert Weissman, managing director of Commercial Alert said in a statement.
The bill was introduced in January and is currently in committee, said Patrick Golden, a spokesperson for Koutoujian.
The bill also authorizes the Commissioner of Public Health to convene a study to investigate the impact of advertising and marketing on child health and behavior.
Network
