A Massachusetts company wants to offer school districts a way to raise money--and marketers a way to reach students. The company, called BusRadio, wants to broadcast commercial radio programs,
complete with ads, on school buses to more than 100,000 Massachusetts students in September--and to expand nationwide in 2007. The service will be free to schools, and the deal calls for them to
collect 5 percent of the ad revenue. "Our goal is to be able to give enough money back to the school systems so that they can enhance their transportation systems," said BusRadio CEO Michael Yanoff.
Under the plan, different programs tailored for different age groups will be broadcast through bus speakers, and advertising will account for about eight minutes of every hour. Material will vary
from school-safety announcements to disc jockeys telling jokes and playing hits by the likes of pop singer Avril Lavigne. School-bus radio is the latest chapter in the long-running battle over
advertising aimed at public-school students. The issue first gained prominence in 1990 with the launch of Channel One, which offered schools free televisions and cable access if they would broadcast
its programs and advertising. With many school districts strapped for cash, commercializing of schools has expanded to include textbook advertising and naming rights to school buildings and stadiums.
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