The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced last week they will be ending a five-year ban on alcohol advertisements, receiving criticism from Boston Mayor Martin Walsh for being unethical and unnecessary.
The end of the ban will maximize source revenue and reduce the budget deficit for 2018, allowing for $2.5 million in additional revenue to pay the wage costs for 30 workers, according to a slideshow provided by the MBTA.
Phase one of the implementation of the new policies will begin in December and last until mid-March, according to the slideshow. These policies include in-station advertisements, billboards and static digital images on weekdays after 4 p.m.
The repeal of the ban includes a policy which prevents the advertisement of alcohol in stations with average student ridership above 10 percent on weekdays, affecting stations primarily on the Red and Orange Lines, according to the slideshow.
Walsh’s Press Secretary Nicole Caravella said in a statement that Walsh is against the decision to reintroduce alcohol advertisements on the T.
“Mayor Walsh has consistently opposed full or partial repeals of the MBTA’s policy prohibiting alcohol advertising on our public transportation system,” Caravella said. “While the city understands the financial challenges the T faces, it does not support MassDOT reversing its 2012 decision to ban alcohol ads.”
Jessie Quintero Johnson, a professor of health communication at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, said she could understand how the legislation could be beneficial in gaining revenue for the MBTA, but she also believes it poses a public health concern.
“If we use a public health framework, then…the sort of lifting of the restrictions on the advertisements poses more of a problem because we know that there’s a lot of evidence that says that exposure to alcohol advertising is effective,” Quintero Johnson said.
Quintero Johnson said she does not believe the policy to exclude alcohol advertisements in stations with high student ridership will prevent youth from being exposed to said advertisements.
“It seems like there is some level of consideration about the audiences that might be captive to these kinds of advertisements,” Quintero Johnson said. “But certainly, keeping the advertisements away from those particular stops or on those trains is not going to preclude the likelihood that young people will still be exposed to the ads.”
Susan Alessandri, an advertising professor at Suffolk University, said the reintroduction of alcohol advertisements at MBTA stations will be economically beneficial for the agency.
“I looked at both sides of the issue, and I think the ability to maybe bring down fares or keep fares where they are and raise more revenue for the T outweighs the emotional argument against having the alcohol ads on the T,” Alessandri said. “Reversing the decision is probably the most efficient and practical idea.”
Alessandri said she does not think the alcohol advertisements will necessarily increase the amount of young people consuming alcohol.
“If you look at what’s been written on the issue, research shows that just having alcohol advertising around doesn’t mean that it’s going to result in more children trying alcohol,” Alessandri said.
Several Boston residents said these advertisements could benefit the city economically but expressed moral opposition.
Yana Yaroshenko, 31, of Kenmore, said she thinks alcohol advertisements should not be put in areas with high student ridership as the advertisements could have a negative effect on students.
“It’s just that for students, the way the advertisements are presented can put on a glamorous life and students might want to follow that maybe,” Yaroshenko said. “It’s just an extra thing which makes them think about it. If it’s not there, then they won’t think about it.”
Eric Aron, 44, of Chinatown, said he thinks the new policy could be beneficial.
“I don’t drink, so it really doesn’t affect me personally,” Aron said. “If it helps funding the T, then I’m not really opposed to it.”
Keith Magee, 49, of Back Bay, said he is not in favor of the revival of alcohol advertisements because he thinks they will negatively affect the community.
“I don’t support the ads on the T because of what alcohol is doing to communities in general,” Magee said. “I imagine the demographic of those who are riding public transportation don’t need to support intake of alcohol.”
