Court ruling lets college papers run alcohol ads

After a five-year battle, college newspapers in Pennsylvania can once again publish advertisements for liquor in their pages.

A federal appeals court ruled that Pennsylvania Act 199 which was challenged by The Pitt News at the University of Pittsburgh was in violation of student newspapers' rights. Additionally, the court ruled that it cost the newspaper an unjust loss of revenue.

According to the News, it lost $17,000 in advertisements as a result of the law.

"Psychologically, it is a combination of relief and excitement. We are happy we can finally control our content," News Editor-in-Chief Greg Heller-LaBelle said. "The important thing is that now ... running [the ads] is going to be a debate but now it is our decision to include it."

Although the court has overruled the act, many are still concerned about the effect of these ads on college students, and worry that they put undue pressure on them to consume alcoholic beverages.

"Our young people are inundated with advertisements [of] alcohol," said Rebecca Shaver, state executive director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Pennsylvania.

"We think to have it in a college newspaper that involves underage people, [they] certainly don't need more suggestion or seduction to consume more alcohol," she said.

However, Heller-LaBelle disagrees. "Alcohol is related to an astounding number of deaths, but I don't think any media is going to have an influence."

"I don't know many college students who don't watch TV or use the Internet who aren't exposed to those advertisements and are completely isolated from booze."

Many newspapers feel that they have lost large sums of money as a result of the ban on alcohol-related ads.

Nevertheless, the News has not yet seen an immediate increase in revenue.

"It's going to take awhile to see how big of a deal it is," Heller-LaBelle said.

Although the debate is hotter than ever, many college newspapers are trying to send a message of moderation in drinking.

The Daily Pennsylvanian "has been very judicious in trying to sort of balance those concerns of the institution to reduce high-risk drinking [with] the interests of advertisers to promote their establishments in the most popular ways they can," University Alcohol Coordinator Stephanie Ives said.

Ives sees it as a problem that differs between campuses. Schools with daily newspapers have more of an opportunity to publish alcohol advertisements, whereas other colleges only print once a week, making it a minor issue.

The DP, however, does not expect a major windfall from the ruling.

"This decision is a victory for many college newspapers, and we agree with the decision," DP Executive Editor Chris George said. However, he added that because the ruling affects newspapers that are published by colleges and universities, the DP would not see much of an impact, due to its independence from the University.

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