Which Candidates Are Getting Freebies From Digital Sign Cos.?

Billboard companies are still stewing about a recent court decision ordering them to turn off their lucrative digital signs, but they're hoping that their fortunes might soon change with the election of some new politicians. In addition to lawsuits, both real and threatened, the companies are investing in a few key races in next week's election. The LA Times took a look at billboards supporting candidates in the mayoral and controller elections, plus a few council races, and found that--surprise, surprise--billboard companies themselves are behind a couple of them. Lamar, an advertising company that sued the city two months ago, has financed a whole bunch of signs: "100 for mayoral hopeful Wendy Greuel, 100 for city controller candidate Dennis Zine and 20 apiece for City Council candidates Curren Price, Nury Martinez and Gil Cedillo." Ad company CBS Outdoor has spent money on some of the same candidates. Meanwhile, another group heavily backed by the electrical workers union (who are also big digital billboard supporters) is putting up signs for Cedillo, Greuel, Price, and John Choi, who's running for mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti's old council seat. Remember, however, that Greuel and Garcetti both backed the digital billboard compromise that the courts just struck down. And they have roughly the same (stated) position on the signs now--that they should be kept out of residential areas and neighborhoods that don't want them.
· Billboard companies playing big role in L.A. city election [LAT]
· Digital Billboard Archives [Curbed LA]