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February 2nd, 2012 | Elizabeth Ben-Ishai
Report: Cash-Strapped Schools Raise Only Minimal Revenues Through In-School Advertising
Faced with state funding cuts and shrinking budgets, many school districts across the country are seeking to raise funds by selling commercial advertising on school properties. Ads appear on school lockers, lunch trays, wall spaces, athletic facilities, websites, school buses and elsewhere. But the risks to children of commercializing schools far outweigh the miniscule revenues raised by these schemes, according to a report released today by Public Citizen.
In “School Commercialism: High Costs, Low Revenues,” Public Citizen found that school advertising programs are providing less than half of one percent of school revenues, and often far less. Public Citizen surveyed the nation’s 25 largest school districts; 10 reported that they maintained in-school advertising programs or were considering such programs. No program reported raising more than $250,000. No program reported raising more than .03 percent of the school system’s overall budget.
Continue Reading...February 7th, 2012 | Ed Silverman | Pharmalot
FDA: Replace Babies In Ads With More Risk Info
Fifteen years after the FDA greatly expanded direct-to-consumer advertising, the agency is proposing new rules that would require drugmakers to limit the happy-go-lucky images that - sometimes, incongruously - are used to promote meds for extremely serious and sobering illnesses. And, not surprisingly, the agency may revise current rules so side effect info is easier to digest.
February 7th, 2012 | Joseph Turow | The Atlantic
A Guide to the Digital Advertising Industry That's Watching Your Every Click By Joseph Turow
At the start of the 21st century, the advertising industry is guiding one of history’s most massive stealth efforts in social profiling.
Continue Reading...February 7th, 2012 | Molly Tippen | Dearborn Patch
Dearborn Schools Evaluate District Advertising Policy
It used to be that a parent could walk into their child’s school and be reasonably sure of what it would look like–endless rows of identical metal lockers; a central office for students, staff and parents; classrooms endowed with industrial-looking desks, and of course, blackboards. But that view could soon change at some of Dearborn Public Schools’ 32 facilities if the Board of Education revises the district’s current advertising policy to allow advertising from local businesses inside school facilities, at its athletic fields, inside school buses or on its website. The policy could also expand and define guidelines for sponsorship and philanthropic publicity.
Continue Reading...February 7th, 2012 | BBC
London 2012: Naming rights for sale for Olympic venues
Rights for the Olympic Stadium, Multi-Use Arena and Aquatics Centre have been made available.