Privatization and Advertising in Public Spaces

Privatization and Advertising in Public Space The fight to take over the world has begun. This fight is between big corporate companies and their race to take over the most public space and plaster it with their advertisements or just simply control it. In this paper I will examine a variety of opinions on how they have invaded public space and if this invasion is benefiting the public or not. In some cases when big companies come take over in a public location it can be positive. Shea Stadium, although it was not exactly public, was greatly improved when Citigroup bought it and rebuilt the park. It improved the viewing experience at the Mets games and Citigroup gets publicity because people associate the park with them. Many people say that this sort of privatization by a big company can have numerous positive effects for people who use the space. Boston’s South Station has also been privatized in recent years. “The MBTA entered into a ground lease with Beacon South Station Associates, a wholly owned entity of Beacon Properties Corporation, on January 28, 1988”. The MBTA still uses the station for the trains and buses but the company that leases it can set its own rules for within the space and has the right to sell advertising space within the station. Although commuters can still use the space for travel purposes the space is no longer public. During Occupy Boston the protesters peacefully assembled in South Station when the weather became colder but were asked to leave by police because there were not allowed to congregate there per rules of the company leasing the space. According so Una Spencer, an activist and protester during the occupy movement, “everywhere we are encountering “public” spaces which we are told are under control of private companies”. She also mentions that’s our taxes are being used to police these areas that are owned by private companies. Spenser is “seeing is a chipping away of our civil rights from many directions” and our tax