More billboards

Re “L.A. approves controversial signage,” Sept. 11

The city of Los Angeles is about to enter into an exclusive exclusive

electronic billboard agreement with Anschutz Entertainment Group requiring that 25% of the advertising time promote events at the venues (the Convention Center, Staples Center and L.A. Live); 25% is to be used for official sponsors at AEG facilities (soft-drink companies and convention exhibitors) while the remaining 50% of the time is to be sold to commercial advertisers.

What’s missing from this picture? Virtually no time --less than 15 minutes out of a

24-hour day -- is required to be dedicated to public service announcements or community service, despite the fact that City Council members, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and many other city leaders have weighed in on the issue.

Ged Kenslea

Communications Director

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Los Angeles

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This decision by our City Council is very disappointing but not surprising. I was

going to congratulate Bill Rosendahl for casting the lone dissenting vote on this

signage deal until I read The Times’ article.

Unfortunately, Rosendahl opposed this deal because he felt that the city could have made a better deal if it had opened the bidding to other billboard companies. He did

not act out of concern for the ambience of Los Angeles.

Clearly, none of the council members who voted on this issue are concerned about the visual blight caused by massive outdoor advertising.

Steve Freedman

Venice

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Re “L.A.’s billboard blight,” Sept. 10

I applaud Dennis Hathaway’s Op-Ed article on billboard blight, but he doesn’t

go far enough.

In addition to the big stationary billboards, our city is also being invaded by the

smaller mobile billboards that are mounted on trailers and parked on streets --including in residential areas--for indefinite periods, in violation of city parking ordinances.

I cringe every morning when I have to drive past these signs that are junking

up my neighborhood.

Daniel Eldred

Northridge