Oakland, CA – 11-07-05 – Port of Oakland and Oakland City officials, along with Clear Channel, Foster Interstate Media and Viacom have come to agreement on how to move forward with respect to ad content on billboards on Port of Oakland property. The Port’s advertising business partners have agreed to abide by a policy that excludes any kind of alcohol-related beverage advertising.
The consensus came about following some concerns raised by Oakland city councilmembers over a large billboard ad at Oakland International Airport. Alcohol-related ads are currently permitted in “industrial” and "transportation" zones. Although the airport billboard portraying an alcoholic beverage meets the legal exemption, it did elicit some criticism.
“While the Port did not receive any formal complaints about the billboard, we are of course sensitive to the concerns raised by our councilmembers and our community,” said Kenneth S. Katzoff, President of the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners. “The Port Commissioners understand the city leaders’ point of view and we have responded to this matter by working together to quickly put a solution in place. We appreciate the cooperation shown by our outdoor advertising business partners for working to reach a compromise in such a short amount of time.”
The ad appears on the side of a vacant hangar near the approach to the airport terminals. Due to contractual obligations, the current ad will remain until the contractual commitment has expired. Foster Interstate Media has acknowledged the concerns related to this matter and has assured the Port that when the current ad is removed, it will be replaced by an automobile ad and they will not enter into any new alcohol-related ads on Port property.
Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente played an instrumental role in bringing together key stakeholders around the issue, “I think we are moving in the right direction and I’m pleased that the outdoor advertising companies have recognized the concerns of the community. This was the right thing to do.” In the future, both the City and the Port have agreed to work together on moving forward with new Port advertising deals relative to ad content.
Oakland Vice Mayor Jane Brunner, who has put forward a proposal to have the City regulate billboards at the Port of Oakland, said, “I am glad the Port is agreeing to set the same standards as we have everywhere else in the City. The City’s prohibition against alcohol advertising has been in place for years, and it’s important to keep it consistent so we send the right message to our residents and visitors.”
The Port is currently drafting policy regarding outdoor advertising content, size and location of future Port billboards, assuring that there will be no more alcohol-related ads on Port property billboards.
Port of Oakland
Harold Jones
Director of Communications
(510) 627-1564
hjones@portoakland.com
